SiX Holds Innovations Accelerator Conference in Denver

By: Ida Eskamani, Senior Director, Legislative Affairs

We just held our second-ever Innovations Accelerator Conference, bringing together over 150 legislators and movement partners from 29 states to strategize on our work to advance tax justice, gender justice, paid family and medical leave, and taking on corporate monopolies.

SiX joins with movement partners and Legislators at the 2023 Accelerator Conference in Denver.

We are incredibly proud of the diverse states we convened on various issue-specific tracks, from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between.

Here are a few highlights from the conference:

Tax Justice: Organized in partnership with the State Revenue Alliance, we brought together legislators and organizing partners from across 14 states (CA, CO, CT, HI, IL, ME, MD, MN, NV, NJ, NY, OR, VA, WA) to coordinate on shaping the national narrative around government, wealth taxes, and public investment.

Gender Justice: Organized in partnership with the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), we officially launched the State Gender Policy Collective – a joint project between SiX and NWLC that will resource and harness the collective power of state lawmakers and leaders to advance gender justice wins across all states. We brought together legislators and partners across 17 states (AL, AZ, CO, CT, FL, IL, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NY, NC, OH, RI, UT, WA) to strategize around the infrastructure that is needed to advance this work.

Paid Family and Medical Leave: We partnered with organizations such as A Better Balance, New America, and 9to5 Colorado, and united legislators and partners from across 11 states (CO, GA, IL, ME, MI, MN, NV, NM, NY, PA, VT) to continue building our coordinated group of legislators leading a national movement around paid family and medical leave.

Anti-Monopoly: We also gathered legislators and partners from across 16 states (AK, CA, FL, GA, IL, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NV, NY, NC, OH, PA) and DC to learn about the far-reaching impacts of corporate monopolies on workers, consumers, and local businesses, and how we can build an economy that works for us all. At the convening, we launched a sign-on letter rallying legislators behind the federal government's draft corporate merger guidelines.

We are grateful to the state and national organizations we collaborated with to organize the conference – including the Progressive Governance Academy. We could not have done this work without our sponsors: the Economic Security Project, National Women’s Law Center, Women’s Democracy Lab, and State Revenue Alliance.

As we continue building momentum from this conference, we invite you to explore our latest publication, “States Leading on Leave: A Playbook on Winning Paid Family and Medical Leave," released in partnership with A Better Balance and New America. Based on lessons learned from state lawmakers and advocates, the playbook outlines strategies around expanding paid family and medical leave (PFML) laws in state legislatures nationwide. It provides guidance for coalition building and management, campaign strategy, policy design, and planning for successful implementation, drawn from SiX’s experts and interviews with state legislators and advocates who have recently won PFML enactment in DE, ME, MD, MN, and OR.

Check out the playbook at: https://stateinnovation.org/pfml.

Legislator Spotlight: State Senator Kesha Ram

This interview originally appeared on The Brown Girls Guide to Politics in a series spotlighting women of color state legislators who navigated the unprecedented influx of racist, anti-democratic, anti-abortion, and anti-transgender legislation introduced in 2021.

What made you fall in love with politics?

Politics shaped my family's journey and where they landed when I came into the world. My father's family fled the partition of India when it became Pakistan. My mother’s family fled the transition of Eastern Europe and the persecution of the Jews. And so, these global political upheavals shaped where their families ended up, and what that meant for their life and potential, and allowed me to access the American Dream.

When I was a child, I became more keenly aware of the ways that economic policy shaped their potential and opportunities. My mother is a Jewish woman, my father is an Indian immigrant. And when they found resources to open an Irish pub in Los Angeles, it came from the Women's Bank of Los Angeles, because there was a policy commitment to women's financial access to capital. When I was younger, and my parents got divorced, being on the free lunch program, I could take the SATs for free and access college. So I became aware over time that good policies were really important things that made my life, and my potential, able to be realized.

Vermont State Senator Ram in front of Vermont state legislature — *State Senator Ram in front of Vermont state legislature in January 2021 (Photo: Facebook)*

And then, when I was a sophomore in college, Bernie Sanders was running for the US Senate for the first time and wanted to have a huge event on campus to encourage young people to vote and kick off his campaign. At the time, he couldn’t draw thousands of people as he can now, so he invited this rockstar—a senator from Illinois, Barack Obama—to come to join him on stage. And the event drew in 7,000 people, which is more than 1% of Vermont’s population. And they said, you know, we don't have any women on stage. My friend was the campus organizer for Bernie and he was like, “I know just the person. She's really not afraid to speak up.” And so I introduced Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders as a sophomore, and Barack Obama in his speech said, “You know what, Bernie, if you don't behave yourself, we're gonna run Kesha for the Senate instead of you.” And it was the first time anyone encouraged me to run for office. All of a sudden, with a father from India and a mother from Illinois, I saw someone who had a father from Kenya, and a mother from Kansas, who had a story like mine, and I thought, “Oh, I'm not that complicated. I'm not too complicated to be in the political arena.” And it really changed everything for me.

It was women who gave me that real sense that it was possible. It's easier for men, even Barack Obama, who I love, to tell me, "You should run for office, go for it," but I had a lot of women in my life who said, "These are the roadblocks you're going to hit and we're here to help you get over them."
Vermont State Senator Kesha Ram
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Was this the moment you decided to run for office?

There was more to it. I went to Washington, DC, worked for Dianne Feinstein for a summer, came back to school, and ran for student body president. And all of a sudden, I was on people's radar, because when you're University of Vermont student body president, you often represent more people than a state legislator does in Vermont.

My friend, Rachel Weston, who had been the Graduate Student Senate President, had become a legislator at 26 and she kept encouraging me to run. She explained the mechanics of it to me and she had been mentored by Governor Madeleine Kunin.

It was women who gave me that real sense that it was possible. It's easier for men, even Barack Obama, who I love, to tell me, “You should run for office, go for it,” but I had a lot of women in my life who said, “These are the roadblocks you're going to hit and we're here to help you get over them.”

A record number of statehouses passed laws attacking abortion, democracy, and LGBTQ+ rights this year—but Vermont was an outlier. What piece of legislation are you most proud of passing?

One of the things that I'm most proud of is banning the suspension and expulsion of small children from school. I had introduced similar legislation in 2014, that banned expulsion of children under eight and I was almost laughed out of the building. The unions wouldn't support it and everyone was saying this is pretty much impossible to change.

But this year, when introducing a ban on expulsion for young children, I had legislative colleagues who said, “Let's add suspension. Why are we suspending six- and seven-year-olds?” So what happened between 2014 and now? I haven't changed what I fight for. I'm doing the same things I was then, but I was a troublemaker and kind of an outlier. And now there are coalitions built around the state. There's a racial reckoning happening in the country. And all I say to people is I haven't changed, the culture of accountability has changed, and we can't let it change back.

In 2014, I was fought bitterly when working with the @ACLU_VT to ban expulsion for children under eight. Now, we will end suspension and expulsion for young children. A major step forward. Thank you @BrianCampionVT @VTEducation @VTHouseDems #vted #vtpoli https://t.co/vRPqveheSL
— Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale (@KeshaRam) May 15, 2021

Tell us about banning the "LGBTQ+ Panic Defense" in Vermont.

One of my closest friends and someone who inspires me every day in the legislature is Rep. Taylor Small, who is the first openly trans woman to serve in the legislature. I want to give her full credit for working with other members of the House to introduce and advance this legislation.

Vermont is a very LGBTQ-friendly state as compared to most other states, but Taylor faces dangers here. When we would do “honk and waves” together, that was the only time I felt unsafe—and I’m the first woman of color in the State Senate! When I was with Taylor, we would have things shouted at us. I thought people were going to throw things out the window, people would circle back around to yell. So as a trans woman, Taylor faced danger to run for office and continues to face people talking about very intimate parts of her life publicly, and they feel licensed to do that because she is an openly trans woman who is not afraid to have a legislative battle.

The Senate Judiciary Committee almost didn’t hear from Taylor and it felt really important that, before they make a decision or propose any amendments to the bill, they needed to talk to the one legislator in our statehouse who has the lived experience to be personally affected by this legislation. I know how common sense that feels as a person of color and how often that doesn’t happen.

Vermont is also leading on reproductive freedom by advancing Proposition 5, a proposed state constitutional amendment that would guarantee reproductive liberty.

I think it's just as important that we passed an apology for the eugenics movement this year. We apologized for the state's role in the forced sterilization of many Vermonters— mostly women—in a movement that was intellectually led in Vermont.

And those are two sides of the same coin. If you are going to be able to access your full range of reproductive freedoms and liberties, that means access to abortion, it means access to reproductive care to help you bring a healthy child to term, it means childcare, it means maternal health, so it means making any decision that is right for you both emotionally, socially, and economically.

Vermont legislators Kesha Ram and Taylor Small hold signs reading, “Thanks ❤️,” “Taylor Small for State Rep,” and “Kesha for state senate.” — Vermont state legislators Kesha Ram and Taylor Small (Photo: Twitter)

While many state legislatures have seen an uptick in anti-voter bills since the 2020 election, Vermont expanded voting rights.

This year, we passed S.15, which takes a huge step forward in access to mail-in balloting and convenient voting at home.

One of the other critical steps we took this year is we're starting to allow local municipalities to decide if they want to allow all residents to vote in their elections, like their school board elections and municipal elections, regardless of their citizenship status.

In our capital city and our most multicultural city, about 42% of the kids in the schools come from English-language learning families. And those are families who by and large aren't able to vote in school elections and in local elections that affect their families. They both passed city charters to allow all residents to vote. The Governor vetoed these charters in an unprecedented move and we have an override session where I hope we override his veto. These charters mean just as much to me as the mail-in voting.

I relish being the first woman of color [in the Vermont Senate] only in so much as I have the responsibility now to turn around and make sure there are also Black women, Indigenous women, and trans women in the state Senate as well.
Vermont State Senator Kesha Ram
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A recent report about the underrepresentation of Black women in state legislatures revealed that there are no Black women state legislators in Vermont. How do we help elevate Black women’s voices in state legislatures?

That's a central question in my life.

We just started an organization called the Bright Leadership Institute (BLI) to help BIPOC candidates run for office. It's named after Louvenia Dorsey Bright, the first Black woman and one of two Black women to have served in our legislature. By starting the organization and telling her story, we've got cover page articles about her legacy. Many people didn't even know she existed.

The other Black woman who served in our legislature, Kiah Morris, is still an incredible leader and very involved in politics, and she left the legislature because of racial harassment. And so we're trying to help people understand that it's not just because we're a very white state that Black women are not represented in the Vermont statehouse. They've come to the table, and they've been threatened, harassed, rejected, made to feel less than, and they have taken themselves out of the arena after they've lost a battle to be seen and heard by the communities that they need help and safety from.

I've tried to help white Vermonters understand that saying, “We just need to recruit Black women here,” doesn't mean we've done the work to retain them. Vermont doesn't have a recruitment problem, it has a retention problem. We have had waves of Black communities come to settle here: we've had Buffalo Soldiers, we've had fugitive slaves, we've had waves of Black folks try to make a home here and feel the ever-present racism of “You're not doing it the way we do things here. This is the way Vermont does things.” And that's become shorthand for, “You're not white enough, you don't fit into our culture.” And so we have a lack of diversity not because Black people haven't tried to live here, but because they haven't been able to be part of shaping their communities.

The other thing BLI is focusing on is tapping into these innate skills that already exist in communities of color, particularly among Black women. Black women have organized every important movement in this country. Black women have the skills, the power, and sometimes they just haven't used it in a political campaign way. When you do use it, people realize how powerful you are, and they will challenge you and you need an army of people behind you to back you up when that happens. So often, Black women are left on their own when the really small vocal minority of racist people get really loud, and they're left without support. We need to stop that because that can feel really lonely.

I have my sights set on Black women to join me in the state senate. I relish being the first woman of color, only in so much as I have the responsibility now to turn around and make sure there are also Black women, Indigenous women, and trans women in the state Senate as well.

Q&A: Voting Rights in North Carolina

This Q&A is excerpted from a State Innovation Exchange telephone townhall featuring North Carolina State Representatives Ashton Clemmons, Amos L. Quick, and Pricey Harrison.

Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk about the struggle for voting rights happening across the country?

Rep. Ashton Clemmons: Every person in North Carolina and the U.S.—no matter who they are—should have an equal voice in electing our state's leaders. But there are four main reasons why we aren't living up to that ideal.

First, there is a blatant attack on voting rights to make it harder for people to vote instead of easier. Second, we are lessening the voices of some folks by packing them into districts through gerrymandering. Third, is the undue influence of money and politics. Corporations overtly influencing the outcomes of elections is an assault on what should be: that no matter how much money you have, your voice is equal. And fourth, we see an intentional effort to undermine the three branches of government by making the judiciary more partisan and limiting executive power at state legislative levels.

What existing barriers make it harder for North Carolinians to vote?

Rep. Ashton Clemmons: Right now, we have the voter I.D. provision in litigation. And the research is very clear that voter I.D. laws would disproportionately affect the elderly and voters of color in North Carolina.

We've seen efforts to lessen the amount of early voting time from three weeks to one week. We've also seen proposals requiring mail-in ballots be received by five o'clock on election day instead of up to six days after election day.

What is gerrymandering?

Rep. Amos L. Quick: The simplest explanation is: gerrymandering is the drawing of voting districts and manipulating boundaries to give an unfair advantage to one party over another.

Pile of "Voted" stickers with American flag — *Photo by Element5 Digital/Unsplash*

What is independent redistricting?

Rep. Amos L. Quick: Right now, we have a process where politicians pick their voters—redistricting power belongs to the dominant party in the legislature.

Independent redistricting is a process that would take power out of the hands of politicians—who are most directly advantaged by drawing their own districts. An independent commission would draw fairer districts that more accurately represent the populace that will be voting.

This is my third term, and I think there's been a bill filed every term since I've been here for some type of independent redistricting commission. It gets tremendous bipartisan support, but it doesn't get a hearing in committee, nor does it get a vote on the floor since I've been in office.

I'll close with this: right now, we have a congressional delegation that does not reflect the population of North Carolina. And that's because politicians drew the lines. An independent redistricting commission would take that power out of the hands of politicians.

We have seen a lot of threats to voting rights in Georgia. Is anything like that coming to North Carolina?

State Rep. Pricey Harrison: We are not seeing bills like what has been proposed or passed in Georgia, Florida, and Texas.

The main issue we're going to face this legislative cycle, as Rep. Clemmons mentioned, is not accepting absentee ballots beyond election day.

And there's an effort to increase poll observers as part of a national trend, and poll observers can be very threatening intimidating to voters.

I'm sorry for Georgia and the other states that are having to deal with that, because it's really, really bad for voting and our democracy.

person placing a mail-in ballot into a mailbox — *Photo by @g_dezigner/Twenty20*

What is going on with redistricting, and when will we know what district we're in?

State Rep. Pricey Harrison: Right now, we do not have any kind of independent redistricting process, despite our efforts. And so it's the redistricting committees in the house in the Senate that will draw them.

We've got commitments from the leadership in the house in the senate that it will be transparent. But those who participated in the most recent redistricting will remember that it was only partially transparent.

So if we can't get the independent redistricting process going, we're committed to fighting for better access for the public to participate in the process. We are committed to protecting communities of interest and keeping counties and municipalities whole. But it doesn't look like we're going to be doing any of that until after we get the census numbers, which I believe is not until the very last day in September.

Confronting the Assaults on Our Democracy

Dear Legislators,

As we struggle to put into words our anger and grief at the attempted insurrection at both the U.S. Capitol and the attacks at many of your workplaces, we wanted to write a note of solidarity and concern. We are joining with other national organizations to demand accountability for all those involved–from the president to the state legislators in attendance—and for bold, transformative democracy reform that builds power for the people.

Let us be clear: yesterday’s attack on our country, on our people, and the very foundation of our democracy was brought on by a president who refuses to uphold our democratic institutions and accept that millions of us turned out to stand with and for each other. This direct assault is what treason looks like: an angry mob of armed white home-grown extremists who have heard loud and clear the direct and implicit invitations from the president to attack the U.S. Capitol and threaten our government, including the very Republican leaders complicit in the undermining of our democracy.

As legislative sessions begin this month and you step back into your own workplaces, we acknowledge that the attack on the U.S. Capitol was unfortunately not an aberration. Over this last year, we have all witnessed the increasing level of violence targeted at our state elected officials–from Michigan to Georgia to Kansas–emboldened and incited by the president himself.

This is an important time for each of you to familiarize yourself with the safety protocols of your capitol and to think about ways to protect your personal safety. This is especially true for Black, Brown, and women legislators who face additional threats on and offline. If you are unfamiliar with the safety protocols in your capitol (or if a rigorous safety protocol doesn’t yet exist), work with your legislative leadership to determine a plan.

These attacks happened because of the encouragement of some Republicans, and the silence of others, who spread lies about this election in order to undermine the will of the people and desperately attempt to hold onto power they clearly do not deserve. And these kinds of attacks, in your capitals and in Washington, will continue to happen unless and until they are forcefully stopped. Our republic is in danger. Every politician responsible, from the president to senators and house members to state legislators and state officials, who fed, fueled, and fomented these attacks must be removed or resign.

The work you do on the frontlines of governance is more critical than ever. True democracy requires integrity, resilience, and moral courage. We see you. We hear you. We stand with you. We may not be able to predict what will happen in the days, weeks, and months ahead, but we do know that the long arc of this work is rooted in building community–and we know you are doing that every day.

Take the space you need to grieve, to rage, to hold your loved ones close. The power of your leadership is rooted in your love for your communities and this country. What we all experienced yesterday is abhorrent. We cannot accept this as a new normal.

Let us know how you are, if you feel safe, and what you need–whether it be in the form of messaging, a conversation, or support for the particular situation in our state.

Thank you,
Jessie and Neha

State Innovation Exchange (SiX) Co-Executive Directors

What the Pandemic Primaries Can Teach us for November

SiX and the National Task Force on Election Crises discuss lessons learned from the 2020 primary elections in the midst of a pandemic and what this means for ensuring the November election is safe and accessible.

The National Taskforce on Election Crises shares lessons learned and state-level implications from their new report, "Lessons from the Primary Elections: Recommendations for a Free and Fair Election in November."

10 State Poll: Americans Support Bold Policy Solutions

Intense support for commonsense election reforms and solutions to create economic security

A recent poll surveying voters in Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) and conducted by TargetSmart, shows voters support policies to ensure accessible elections and a desire for more state investment to ensure people are economically secure.

DEMOCRACY

Voters Support Steps to Ensure Safe and Accessible Elections

Voters in the ten states overwhelmingly believe that the state government has a role to play in safely and fairly administering elections (91%). States strongly support policies to ensure the election is safe and accessible for all eligible voters:

Open additional polling locations to reduce crowds and lines (86%);
Lengthen the window for early voting and allow voters to cast ballots in person up through the day before Election Day (82%);
Allow any registered voter to vote by mail (76%); and
Mail all registered voters applications to vote-by-mail (62%).

Voters Are Concerned About USPS and Having Their Vote Counted

The politicization of Vote by Mail and the partisan attacks on the United States Postal Service have eroded faith in the ability to have mail-in ballots count. The poll shows that half of all voters are concerned that the mail system in their state cannot be relied upon to get vote-by-mail ballots to election officials in time to be counted in the election. This concern is higher among Black voters (60%) and Latinx voters (53%).

Voters Want State Government to Remove Racial Barriers to Voting

Nearly 7-in-10 voters across the target states also indicate that they believe state government should play an active role in acknowledging and addressing systemic racism (68%). Accordingly, two-thirds of voters across these target states believe their state government should reduce barriers that prevent Black people from voting (65%).

HEALTH AND THE ECONOMY

Voters Concerned about Health and Safety, Want Protections and Investment

By a three-to-one margin, voters want their state government to invest in residents to ensure they are safe, healthy, and economically secure (60%) rather than lowering taxes and cutting funds to services like education, infrastructure, and unemployment insurance (19%). Voters also believe the state government should address economic barriers faced by Black Americans (57%).

A majority of voters side with workplace safety requirements (55%) over liability protections for corporations (26%).

Respondents support expanding unemployment insurance and other economic policies

Nearly three in five voters support extending the length of time that workers can receive expanded unemployment benefits. Support for this policy is particularly high among Black voters (84%) and voters under 50 (67%). Voters also strongly supported policies that would provide immediate pocketbook relief for many, including:

Providing low-interest loans to small businesses to help them make it through the crisis (93%);
Banning surprise medical bills (89%);
Extending the grace period for people to pay health insurance bills before their coverage can be canceled (88%);
Limiting what drug companies can charge for prescription drugs (87%);
Offering people the option to buy into the same public health insurance plans that are available to state employees if they want to (87%);
Creating an insurance plan to provide paid family and medical leave for employees (80%); and
Requiring workplaces to provide paid sick days to their employees (79%).

Click here for more results.

Arizonans Overwhelmingly Support Proactive Policies in COVID Crisis

Strong support for progressive solutions to help working families and ensure the accessibility of elections

A recent poll commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) shows Arizona voters hold deep concerns over the risk that COVID-19 poses to their health and the impact on the economy. The poll showed that Arizonans believe that the government should play a constructive role in people’s lives.

The Role of Government in Issues Facing Arizona

When asked if the state government should play a role in some of the issues facing working families, voters overwhelmingly supported government engagement in:

Safely and fairly administering elections (93%);
Stopping the spread of the coronavirus (89%);
Ensuring equal access to high-quality K-12 education (86%);
Ensuring struggling families and children have access to food (85%);
Ensuring access to affordable health care (77%); and
Equal pay for equal work (77%).

Voters Overwhelmingly Support Steps to Ensure Safe and Accessible Elections

Arizona voters overwhelmingly believe that the state government has a role to play in safely and fairly administering elections (93%). The majority of Arizonans report that they will vote by mail in the November election (77%). However some Arizonans still report that they will go to the polls on Election Day (14%), or that they will vote early in person (7%).

Voters overwhelmingly supported policies to ensure the election is safe and accessible:

Allow any registered Arizona voter to vote by mail (87%);
Open additional polling locations to reduce crowds and lines (85%);
Lengthen the window for early voting and allow voters to cast ballots in person up through the day before Election Day (80%);
Allow Arizona voters to cast their ballots at any polling location in their county (74%); and
Mail all registered voters applications to vote-by-mail (72%).

Voters Concerned about COVID Impact and Strongly Support Progressive Economic Policies

Two out of three voters believe Arizona state government should invest more in its residents to ensure they are safe, healthy, and economically secure (65%) rather than state government keeping taxes low and cutting funds to key services like education, unemployment, and health insurance (16%).

Arizona has been hard hit by the pandemic with one in three reporting that they have been laid off or had their hours cut (34%). Arizonans report they are concerned about the people losing work and income due to the virus (87%), small businesses and restaurants closing down permanently (85%), unable to afford their rent or mortgage (76%) and people being forced to choose between their health and their job (72%).

Given the current crisis, Arizonans support policies that will address the economic hardships being faced by many and make life easier:

Providing low-interest loans to small businesses to help them make it through the crisis (91%);
Banning the practice of surprise medical billing (89%);
Extending the grace period for people to pay insurance bills before their coverage can be canceled (88%);
Offering people in Arizona the option to buy into the same public health insurance plans that are available to state employees if they want to (87%); and
Limiting what drug companies can charge for prescription drugs (85%).

Click here for more results.

Floridians Want State Lawmakers to Act on Threats Created by COVID Crisis

Strong support for progressive solutions to help working families and ensure the elections are accessible and safe

A recent poll commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) shows Florida voters hold deep concerns over the risk that COVID-19 poses to their health and the impact on the economy and the election. Two in three Floridians believe the worst of the pandemic is yet to come (65%).

The Role of Government in Issues Facing Florida

When asked if the state government should play a role in some of the issues facing working families, voters overwhelmingly supported government engagement in:

Safely and fairly administering elections (92%);
Stopping the spread of the coronavirus (90%);
Ensuring equal access to high-quality K-12 education (89%);
Ensuring struggling families and children have access to food (84%); and
Equal pay for equal work (81%).

Voters Support Steps to Ensure Safe and Accessible Elections

Florida voters overwhelmingly believe that the state government has a role to play in safely and fairly administering elections (92%). The majority of Floridians report that they will vote by mail (52%). However, 47% still plan to vote in person, with 27% planning to vote on Election Day and 20% planning to early vote.

Whether or not they are choosing to vote in person or by-mail, voters supported policies to ensure the election is safe and accessible for all eligible voters:

Open additional polling locations to reduce crowds and lines (84%);
Lengthen the window for early voting and allow voters to cast ballots in person up through the day before Election Day (82%);
Allow any registered Florida voter to cast a ballot at any polling location in their county (71%); and
Mail all registered voters applications to vote-by-mail (61%).

Voters Concerned about COVID Impact and Strongly Support Progressive Economic Policies

By a four to one margin voters believe Florida state government should invest more in its residents to ensure they are safe, healthy, and economically secure (64%) rather than state government keeping taxes low and cutting funds to key services like education, infrastructure and unemployment insurance (16%).

Florida has been hard hit by the pandemic with one in three of Floridians responding that they have been laid off or had their hours cut (34%). Two out of three Floridians support extending and expanding unemployment for those workers who have been laid off (65%). Support for this policy cuts across partisan lines with Democrats (78%), Republicans (52%) Independents (65%) in favor.

The pandemic is a top of mind concern for Floridians who report they are concerned about the people losing work and income due to the virus (84%), small businesses and restaurants closing down permanently (84%), Floridians contracting the virus and dying (79%), people of Florida unable to afford their rent or mortgage (79%) and people in Florida being forced to choose between their health and their job (71%).

Given the current crisis, Floridians support policies that will address the hardships being faced by many and make life easier for working families:

Providing low-interest loans to small businesses to help them make it through the crisis (94%);
Extending the grace period for people to pay health insurance bills before their coverage can be canceled (88%);
Limiting what drug companies can charge for prescription drugs (87%);
Offering people in Florida the option to buy into the same public health insurance plans that are available to state employees if they want to (86%); and
Banning the practice of surprise medical billing (85%).

Click here for more results.

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Michiganders Want State Lawmakers to Act on Threats of COVID Crisis

Strong support for progressive solutions to help working families and ensure the safety and security of elections

A recent poll commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) shows Michigan voters hold deep concerns over the risk that COVID-19 poses to their health and the impact on the economy. The poll showed that Michiganders believe that the government should play a constructive role in people’s economic lives.

The Role of Government in Issues Facing Michigan

When asked if the state government should play a role in some of the issues facing working families, voters overwhelmingly supported government engagement in:

Safely and fairly administering elections (87%);
Ensuring equal access to high-quality K-12 education (84%);
Stopping the spread of the coronavirus (85%);
Ensuring struggling families and children have access to food (83%);
Equal pay for equal work (77%); and
Acknowledging and addressing systemic racism (69%).

Voters Overwhelmingly Support Steps to Ensure Safe and Accessible Elections

Michigan voters overwhelmingly believe that the state government has a role to play in safely and fairly administering elections (87%). The majority of Michiganders report that they will vote by mail in the November election (60%). However one-in-three believe that they will go to the polls (34%).

Voters overwhelmingly supported policies to ensure the election is safe and accessible:

Allow any registered Michigan voter to vote by mail (80%);
Lengthen the window for early voting and allow voters to cast ballots in person up through the day before Election Day (75%);
Mail all registered voters applications to vote-by-mail (72%); and
Allow elections officials to begin processing mail-in ballots before Election Day (69%).

Voters Concerned about COVID Impact and Strongly Support Progressive Economic Policies

By a three-to-one margin, voters believe Michigan state government should invest more in its residents to ensure they are safe, healthy, and economically secure (58%) rather than state government keeping taxes low and cutting funds to key services like education, unemployment, and health insurance (18%).

As for how legislators should address the potential budget shortfalls due to COVID, respondents overwhelmingly favored closing corporate tax loopholes (90%) and increasing taxes and financial penalties on companies that pollute Michigan’s air and water (88%). There is also strong support–77%–for increasing taxes on the wealthiest individuals in Michigan.

Eight-in-ten voters are concerned about people in Michigan losing work and income due to the coronavirus outbreak. Michiganders are equally concerned about small businesses and restaurants closing down permanently in Michigan (81%).

A majority of voters also support measures that would benefit those returning to work and those who remain unemployed, including requiring businesses to provide safe working conditions and penalties if workers get sick (56%) and extending the length of time that laid-off workers can receive unemployment compensation and increasing the amount they receive (55%).

Given the current crisis, Michiganders support policies that will address the economic hardships being faced by many and make life easier for working families:

Providing low-interest loans to small businesses to help them make it through the crisis (91%);
Limiting what drug companies can charge for prescription drugs (88%);
Offering people in Michigan the option to buy into the same public health insurance plans that are available to state employees if they want to (87%);
Creating an insurance plan to provide paid family and medical leave for employees (81%); and
Requiring workplaces to provide paid sick days to their employees (80%).

Click here for more results.

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Pennsylvanians Support Progressive Agenda in Harrisburg

A recent poll commissioned by the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) shows Pennsylvanians are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and support widespread testing, prioritize working people in the economic response, and support reforms to make our democracy stronger.

Pennsylvanians Broadly Support Widespread Free Coronavirus Testing, Vaccination, and Treatment

Residents strongly agree with:

Widespread testing (66 percent strongly agree, 89 percent total agree)
Widespread testing and vaccination of Pennsylvanians (65 percent agree, 89 percent total agree).
Coronavirus testing and treatment should involve no out-of-pocket costs (56 percent strongly agree, 82 percent total agree)

Pennsylvania Voters Support Various Economic Responses that Prioritize Working People

A majority of residents agree that:

Corporations and big businesses should spend their bailout and tax cut money on their employees, rather than on stock buybacks and bonuses (83 percent total agree)
State government should expand unemployment benefits throughout the state so more people can qualify for benefits (81 total support)
State government should create relief packages for small businesses that continue paying their staff and pledge to avoid layoffs (81 percent total agree)

Additionally, when presented with two possible solutions for addressing Pennsylvania’s budget shortfall due to the coronavirus pandemic, a solid majority of people gravitate toward the progressive argument for increasing taxes on the wealthy and out-of-state corporations. Nearly two in three Pennsylvanians express a preference for increased taxes while fewer than one in three voters prefer spending cuts on core services.

Pennsylvanians are also broadly open to a range of working people’s policies, including a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave, and paid sick leave.

Democracy Reform Agenda Broadly Popular, Particularly Among Black Voters

Pennsylvanians are very supportive of democracy reforms, including:

Investments in election technology and conducting mandatory audits (76 percent total support, 87 percent of Black residents support)
The creation of an automatic voter registration program in Pennsylvania (60 percent total support)
Sending mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters (59 percent total support, 86 percent of Black residents support)
The creation of community vote centers and designated curbside ballot drop-offs (53 percent total support, 80 percent of Black residents support)

For the full poll memo, see here.

The COVID Crisis Reveals Deep Fissures in American Society

“Many Americans are now experiencing what poor communities live with daily. We have communities perennially facing lower wages, higher poverty, lack of access to health care, and lack of access to child care. Shift workers, low-wage workers, agrarian workers, and service workers are now being pushed over the edge. We must be intentional about identifying these challenges and concrete about naming and pursuing the solutions. These issues aren’t ancillary. They are central to who we are. The poor deserve expanded and deepened support. The poorest among us are often the people working the hardest. And they deserve to be protected. It is not socialism to have a social safety net.”

-- The Hon. Stacey Abrams, former GA House Minority Leader, on COVID as featured in Elle Magazine April 15, 2020

For over 40 years, we’ve witnessed the erosion of our public structures and social safety net programs while extremists have weaponized the idea of who is worthy of care or support during moments of need. By using a divide-and-conquer framework that devalues some people because of the color of their skin or where they come from, we are all left with a system that is incapable of weathering the current storm. COVID shows us that this old approach to policymaking leaves all of us—Black, white, and brown alike—too vulnerable to ongoing harm.

SiX believes this analysis is central to the work ahead for state legislators and must be core to our collective response. Based on this framework, we want to offer specific guidance to state legislators seeking clarity on how to orient to the weeks and months ahead:

1. Advance race-forward policies and analyses.

From expanded COVID testing to access to health care to paid sick time to expanded medical leave to unemployment insurance to managing state budgets, legislators will uniquely be faced with balancing bold ideas with impactful implementation. Essential workers—nurses and health care workers, delivery workers, farmworkers, restaurant staff, and many others —are more likely to be women and people of color and are disproportionately impacted by this crisis. As you consider any policy topic, we encourage you to make an explicit commitment to ensure your actions have equitable impacts by centering those most impacted in your policy response.

Read this compelling and sobering assessment from our partners at Demos that explores COVID as a crisis of racial capitalism. The report details five essential components of reform legislators should consider in the coming weeks.

Check out www.stateinnovation.org/coronavirus for more information on race-forward economic policies (with links to public opinion polling) that you can use in your state.

2. Protect and expand our democracy.

If we understand the current crisis as an extension of our underlying economic and societal challenges, we must expand and protect access to democratic safeguards—from voting-at-home to transparent governance to equitable decision-making in public life.

To learn more about how we can rapidly modernize and secure our election systems, join SiX and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights on Friday, May 7th. Register here.
Check out this webinar on continuity of governance that outlines how you can do your job as a legislator without compromising your safety or your values of fair, accessible, and transparent government.

3. Use all of the tools you can to effect change.

Some of you may return back to legislative sessions while others of you are facing indefinite recesses, early adjournment, or uncertain special sessions. Although each of your circumstances may differ, we implore you to be bold in advocating for your communities by using a wide array of tools to meet your policy objectives.

If you’re in legislative session, move public policy and allocate public dollars to the response—whether you're serving in a legislative majority or minority. This is a time to connect deeply with your constituents and local and national movement partners, build coalitions with your legislative peers, and dig in deep on both policy and implementation;
Use your relationships with your Governors, Secretaries of State, and other governmental administrators to advocate for your communities. They may be able to allocate resources, take administrative action, or implement rules that can mitigate the impacts on your communities; and
Leverage your voice in public life to share important information with your constituents. Check out our resources on how to engage your constituents online—from social media to tele-townhalls—so you can keep in close contact with the folks you represent.

4. Focus on resilience, not nostalgia.

For many of us, we eagerly want to return to a time before this crisis—when thousands of our friends and families were not taken by COVID, when millions of our neighbors weren’t unemployed or facing eviction, and when gathering at the local watering hole was more common than wearing a face mask in public. But nostalgia can cloud our thinking, even when done with the best of intentions. We must remember how precarious our democracy, economy, and society were before this crisis and remind ourselves of what we’ve learned from seeing the failures of our systems in full view. With this clarity, focus your efforts on rebuilding a resilient, healthy, and prosperous country for generations to come.

We have faith in your ability to lead, even in the most difficult of circumstances, and SiX is ready to help you in the weeks and months to come.

Legislating in a Pandemic: Transparent & Remote Governance

Table Of Contents

Considerations for Transparent & Accessible Governance in Emergencies
Examples of Remote Governance Transitions
Reads & Resources

As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing list of state legislatures have postponed session and legislators themselves have started testing positive for the virus. While some states quickly moved to remote sessions and amended open meeting laws to prevent crowds at state capitols, many are struggling to make this transition in a transparent and accessible manner. Other states have limited or no government continuity plans in place, and some are grappling with constitutions or state laws that appear to prohibit remote governance and voting altogether.

While this is an unprecedented time in American history, where preserving the public health and the continuity of government collide, it will not be the last time that legislatures must shift how they do business. At extraordinary moments like today, state legislatures must adopt methods of flexible, remote governance while prioritizing transparency and public access.

State legislatures adapting to the new reality of governance can learn from early experiences, challenges, and critiques that other state and local governments have faced in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that shifting your state’s approach to governance will not be easy and that there will be hiccups and mistakes along the way. To anticipate and overcome these challenges and to find viable solutions to keep government working and accessible, we encourage state legislators to work with their executive branch counterparts, state technology officers, local officials, state/local advocates, peer legislators from across the country, and of course, SiX.

After reading this blog, email democracy@stateinnovation.org with your remaining questions and your asks for direct support. We are all taking this transition one step at a time, and we want to meet you and your state where you are.

Considerations for Transparent & Accessible Governance in Emergencies

Common Cause released a strong set of transparency recommendations for national, state, and local officials to follow when transitioning to remote forms of governance and adjusting open meeting laws. SiX strongly recommends that state legislatures consider these guidelines when setting up new, emergency governance structures:

“Postpone non-priority government action until the state of emergency has ended.
Provide widespread public notice of scheduled government proceedings.
Provide public access to observe government proceedings via live and recorded video available on government websites. [This requirement must apply in cases where public officials continue to meet in person but the public cannot be present for public health purposes.]
Provide public ability to participate in government proceedings via videoconference where possible and, at a minimum, via telephone and submission of written testimony.
Require all members of a public body participating in a meeting or proceeding to be clearly audible and visible at all times, including to the public.
At the start of the meeting, require the chair to announce the names of any members of the public body participating remotely.
In the event audio or video coverage of a proceeding or meeting is interrupted, require the presiding official to suspend discussion until audio/video is restored.
Require all votes to be roll call votes.
At the beginning of any executive session, require all members of the public body to state that no other person is present or can hear them.
Record all open sessions of meetings and make such recordings available to the public via government website.”

SiX also recognizes that, even by following the above principles, a rapid transition to remote governance can and will exacerbate barriers to participation in governance for many community members. While continuity of governance through remote voting and committee hearings is key as this crisis evolves, legislators must consider how this transition will impact equitable access for marginalized constituents and work to find creative solutions. This includes (but is not limited to) ensuring access for people with:

poor internet connectivity;
low technology proficiency or access;
disabilities (e.g. vision or hearing loss); and
limited English proficiency and lack of access to translation.

Examples of Remote Governance Transitions

Below we highlight several examples of rule changes, statutory changes, and executive orders that have enabled states to adapt and govern flexibly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Note that these are not perfect examples and many could benefit from stronger or clearer transparency provisions in line with the above guidance from Common Cause. That said, we hope sharing these examples offers a helpful base of information for other states to analyze and build on.

We will continue to update this list with new examples as more states make this transition and learn from each other.

Vermont

Vermont legislators and other public bodies must now convene electronically and provide virtual public access to all meetings. Legislators are primarily using Zoom to convene and deliberate. (This Tweet from a Vermont government reporter offers a taste of what remote legislating looks like!)

2020 Vermont H 681

Sec. 5. LEGISLATIVE INTENT; COVID-19 RESPONSE AND OPEN MEETINGS BILL AS PASSED BY THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE

It is the intent of the General Assembly that during the continued spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the State of Vermont public bodies should organize and hold open meetings in a manner that will protect the health and welfare of the public while providing access to the operations of government. Public bodies should meet electronically and provide the public with electronic access to meetings in lieu of a designated physical location. Accordingly, this act sets forth temporary Open Meeting Law procedures in response to COVID-19.

Sec. 6. OPEN MEETING LAW; TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DESIGNATED PHYSICAL MEETING LOCATION REQUIREMENTS

(a) Notwithstanding 1 V.S.A. § 312(a), during a declared state of emergency under 20 V.S.A. chapter 1 due to COVID-19:

(1) a quorum or more of the members of a public body may attend a regular, special, or emergency meeting by electronic or other means without being physically present at a designated meeting location;

(2) the public body shall not be required to designate a physical meeting location where the public may attend; and

(3) the members and staff of the public body shall not be required to be physically present at a designated meeting location.

(b) When the public body meets electronically under subsection (a) of this section, the public body shall use technology that permits the attendance of the public through electronic or other means. The public body shall allow the public to access the meeting by telephone whenever feasible. The public body shall post information on how the public may access meetings electronically and shall include this information in the published agenda for each meeting. Unless unusual circumstances make it impossible for them to do so, the legislative body of each municipality and each school board shall record its meetings held pursuant to this section.

(c) In the event of a staffing shortage during a declared state of emergency under 20 V.S.A. chapter 1 due to COVID-19, a public body may extend the time limit for the posting of minutes prescribed in 1 V.S.A. § 312(b)(2) to not more than 10 days from the date of the meeting.

Rhode Island

On March 16, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo issued Executive Order 20-05 which relieved state/local officials from open meeting law prohibitions on the “use of telephonic or electronic communication to conduct meetings.” Though the Executive Order provided for virtual public access to government meetings, technical challenges and ambiguities to these rules became apparent in just the first week. Common Cause Rhode Island and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Rhode Island quickly sent a letter to state officials urging modifications to the Executive Order including: clarifications to transparency requirements for government bodies that continue to meet in person but are no longer accessible to the public (i.e. because of closed capitols) and protocols to safeguard public participation in the event of technological glitches or connectivity issues (i.e. dropped video conference or conference call lines). Other states can anticipate and learn from the Rhode Island experience.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania lawmakers enacted multiple pieces of legislation to enable remote governance. Legislators in both the House and Senate are now able to vote on legislation and participate in committee hearings remotely. As of March 26, 2020, the State Capitol remained open for (in-person) session but a large portion of legislators intentionally participated remotely via video chat to enable social distancing.

2020 Pennsylvania HR 834 RESOLVED, That a member who is not present in the Hall of the House may designate either the Majority or Minority Whip to cast the member's vote on any question as to which there has been consultation between the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, after consultation between the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, if the process permitted for designated voting under this temporary rule is not agreed upon, the vote shall be cast pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives in existence on March 15, 2020; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a designation shall be accomplished by filing an attestation with the Chief Clerk which affirms that the member will not be present in the Hall of the House and identifies either the Majority or Minority Whip as the designee; and be it further [...]
RESOLVED, That, unless amended or revoked by the House, the temporary rules adopted in this resolution shall expire when the declaration of disaster emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, is terminated by executive order, proclamation or operation of law.

2020 Pennsylvania S.R. 318 RESOLVED, That, notwithstanding Rule 14(h) of the Senate, members may remotely participate in committee meetings as follows: remote participation means simultaneous, interactive participation in a committee meeting by committee members not physically present at the location of the meeting, through means of communication technologies designed to accommodate and facilitate such simultaneous, interactive participation; committee members participating remotely shall be counted for the purpose of determining a quorum; a quorum shall be established through a roll call; and technology employed for remote committee meetings must safeguard the integrity of the legislative process and maintain the deliberative character of the meeting by providing for simultaneous, aural and verbal communication among all participants.

Maine

Before adjourning early for 2020, Maine lawmakers enacted legislation to allow public bodies covered by the state’s open meeting law to conduct business remotely provided that the public is given advance notice, all participating members are able to hear and speak to one another, there is a clear method of electronic public participation, and all official votes are taken by roll call.

2020 Maine LD 2167 §403-A. Public proceedings through remote access during declaration of state of emergency due to COVID-19

1. Remote access. Notwithstanding any provision of law or municipal charter provision or ordinance to the contrary, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in accordance with Title 37-B, section 742 due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a body subject to this subchapter may conduct a public proceeding through telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means of remote participation under the following conditions:

A. Notice of the public proceeding has been given in accordance with section 406, and the notice includes the method by which the public may attend in accordance with paragraph C;

B. Each member of the body who is participating in the public proceeding is able to hear and speak to all the other members during the public proceeding and members of the public attending the public proceeding in the location identified in the notice given pursuant to paragraph A are able to hear all members participating at other locations;

C. The body determines that participation by the public is through telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means of remote participation; and

D. All votes taken during the public proceeding are taken by roll call vote.

2. Application to legislative proceedings. This section does not apply to public proceedings of the Legislature, a legislative committee or the Legislative Council, except that while the state of emergency as set out in subsection 1 is in effect, the Legislature, a legislative committee or the Legislative Council may restrict attendance by the public to remote access by telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means. This section also does not apply to town meetings held pursuant to Title 30-A, section 2524 or regional school unit budget meetings pursuant to Title 20-A, section 1483.

3. Repeal. This section is repealed 30 days after the termination of the state of emergency as set out in subsection 1.

Nebraska

On March 17, 2020, “Governor Pete Ricketts issued an executive order [(Executive Order No. 20-03)] to permit state and local governmental boards, commissions, and other public bodies to meet by videoconference, teleconference, or other electronic means through May 31, 2020. The Governor’s order stipulated that all such virtual meetings must be available to members of the public, including media, to give citizens the opportunity to participate as well as to be duly informed of the meetings’ proceedings. The Governor’s order did not waive the advanced publicized notice and the agenda requirements for public meetings [(set forth in (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-1411)].”

New Jersey

The New Jersey legislature enacted a fairly simple statute to allow lawmakers to use technology or electronic means to conduct business if the Governor has declared a state of emergency. It does specifically outline transparency requirements. Lawmakers simultaneously enacted a law that allows local government bodies to govern remotely as well (see 2020 New Jersey A 3850).

2020 New Jersey A 3852
b. All sessions of the Legislature shall be held at Trenton or, on a temporary basis, for ceremonial or commemorative purposes or, notwithstanding section 1 of P.L.1963, c.118 (C.52:1-1.1), by reason of emergency or other exigency, at such other locations in the State as shall be designated by the Legislature by concurrent resolution.
c. During a period of emergency or exigency, as determined by the Governor pursuant to the laws of this State or by the Legislature pursuant to concurrent resolution, the Legislature may use any technology or electronic means to conduct its business or otherwise carry out its purposes, or to comply with the requirements of paragraph 6 of Section IV of Article IV or, for the purpose of ensuring the continuity of governmental operations, of paragraph 4 of Section VI of Article IV of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.

Texas

On March 16, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott suspended provisions of the state’s open meeting law that requires “government officials and members of the public to be physically present at a specified meeting location,” while emphasizing key transparency provisions for remote meetings. According to the Governor’s office:

“Members of the public will be entitled to participate and address the governmental body during any telephonic or videoconference meeting.”
“To hold a telephonic or videoconference meeting, a governmental body must post a written notice that gives the public a way to participate remotely, such as a toll-free dial-in number, and that includes an electronic copy of any agenda packet that officials will consider at the meeting.”
“A governmental body must provide the public with access to a recording of any telephonic or videoconference meeting.”

The directive also allows state and local officials to contact the Texas Department of Information Resources for information and support setting up teleconferences and video conferences. Governor Abbott invoked emergency authority under Texas Gov. Code § 418.016 to change these requirements.

Reads & Resources

During COVID-19 State of Emergency, Transparency and Public Access to Government Proceedings Must Be Maintained, Common Cause, 3/18/20
Letter to Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo Re: EO 20-05, Common Cause and ACLU of Rhode Island, 3/19/20
As Lawmakers Fall Ill, Congress and State Legislatures Must Enact Continuity Plans, Demand Progress
Memo: Continuity of Legislatures, Daniel Schuman, Demand Progress Policy Director, 3/17/20
Legislative Sessions and the Coronavirus, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
Continuity of Legislature During Emergency, NCSL
States Suspend Legislatures Without Passing Emergency Coronavirus Legislation. Could Remote Voting Provide a Fix?, The Intercept, 3/19/20
Virus Concerns Lead to 'Public' Meetings Without the Public, New York Times, 3/21/20
States Adapt Governance and Public Access to Telecommuting in Wake of Coronavirus, CT Examiner, 3/19/20

Census Get Out the Count Toolkit for State Legislators

The 2020 Census officially kicks off March 12th, when households across the country have started receiving mailed invitations with instructions to respond to the census.

State legislators have a uniquely strong platform and a responsibility to get out the count in communities all across the country. And SiX is here to help.

Check out our Census Get Out the Count Toolkit for State Legislators, which:

Outlines action steps for legislators;
Offers sample digital content for legislators/staff to directly pull, adapt, and schedule (e.g. social media, graphics, website blurbs); and
Lists an extensive set of resources to help you tailor your outreach to different hard-to-count communities.

Feel free to email the SiX Democracy Team with any questions or for support.

Quick action step! Post SiX's census graphic and use this link to update your Facebook profile frame showing your support for the census!

First Revision SiX Facebook Frame census

New Legislator Resource: Ending Prison Gerrymandering

State legislators have a crucial role in advancing accurate and equitable redistricting. That means ending prison gerrymandering: the harmful practice of counting incarcerated people as residents of prison districts instead of at home.

SiX and Prison Policy Initiative are thrilled to release a new resource on prison gerrymandering.

Our brief includes messaging guidance, policy design considerations, practical lessons on bill drafting, coalitions, and implementation, and sample legislation.

Why take on prison gerrymandering? Because the 2020 Census is about to count more than 2 million people in the wrong place. Counting incarcerated people at home is a crucial correction that will make redistricting in your state more accurate and equitable.

Shout out to Colorado legislators, Reps. Kerry Tipper and James Coleman, whose bill to end prison gerrymandering is currently on the Governor's desk! Check out their op-ed on why this reform matters for the state. Legislators in eleven other states have also filed prison gerrymandering bills this session (CT, FL, IL, LA, MI, MN, NE, PA, RI, VA, WI). If you've already sponsored a bill, review our resource to see how your proposal could be strengthened and how to talk about this issue effectively. And reach out to SiX and Prison Policy Initiative for support!

Many thanks to Prison Policy Initiative for their partnership and support to state legislators ending prison gerrymandering across the country!

Reach the prison gerrymandering brief here.

Protecting the Power of the Ballot Initiative

The SiX Democracy Project is teaming up with the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) to help state legislators protect the ballot measure process and champion direct democracy.

The resources below highlight why you, as a state legislator, should care about this important tool for change and how you can identify and disrupt common tactics conservatives deploy to undermine direct democracy.

A Video Guide for Legislators: Protecting the Power of the Ballot Initiative

BISC State Legislative Manager, Jaspreet Chowdhary, introduces us to ballot measures, reviews major progressive policy wins at the ballot box, and outlines common tactics conservatives deploy to undermine direct democracy.

Ballot Measure Basics

Ballot measures, specifically citizen initiatives, are direct democracy – a place where eligible voters can make decisions about policies that impact their daily lives. Advocates use ballot measures to win public policy that has stalled under the dome, apply pressure, raise awareness about an important topic, or change the underlying narrative about an issue. Here are a few quick resources to get legislators up to speed on ballot measures:

Legislative Threats to Direct Democracy

Legislative threats to direct democracy are on the rise. In 2019, there were more legislative attacks on the ballot measure process than the previous two years combined. 2020 is on track to be another record breaking year. The resources below highlight common tactics used to undermine direct democracy and how legislators can evaluate proposed changes to the ballot measure process.

Five Ways Legislators Can Learn More & Support Ballot Measures

When considering changes to your state’s ballot measure process, check with local progressive allies, BISC, and SiX to make sure you don’t inadvertently create barriers to direct democracy.
Help advocates draft language for ballot measures that is politically and legally sound. When legislators and advocates team up, ballot measures are more likely to withstand challenges and less likely to be undermined.
Email democracy@stateinnovation.org and bisc@ballot.org to learn more about your state’s ballot measure process, threats, and how to fight back.
Become a SiX Democracy Champion. Join a cohort of over 200 legislators from all 50 states who have committed to championing reforms for an equitable, inclusive, and participatory democracy – with dedicated policy, messaging, and strategy support from SiX. Visit stateinnovation.org/democracy to learn more and join the fight.
Join the BISC listserv to receive the latest news on ballot measures, ballot.org.

Our 10 Favorite Moments from State Legislatures this Year

2019 was a big year in state legislatures. Important battles to strengthen our democracy, improve the lives of working families, advance reproductive freedom, defend civil rights, and protect the environment were won and lost in states across the nation. These battles impact the lives of Americans every day, yet so many of these stories never reached the eyes or ears of most Americans. There are too many legislative victories to include in a list like this, so below are ten of our favorite moments of legislators standing up for their values.

Note: When looking back over the year, we did not screen for gender, and yet women took center stage. More women are running for office than ever before, yet still make up just 28.7% of state legislators. But as you’ll see below, these women are making an impact.

1. Women Took Charge in NV with the First Female-Majority Legislature in the Nation

Nevada became the first state in the nation’s history where women outnumbered men in the state legislature. More people of color were in Nevada’s legislature this session too, and all of these new voices in the legislature shaped which issues were discussed and which become policy. “I think growing up, you have this idea that politicians aren’t us. They don’t look like me. They don’t have my type of hair. They don’t come from our background. They don’t have to send money back to El Salvador to make sure that their family can make ends meet,” Assemblywoman Selena Torres said in an interview with the Washington Post. “But then you come to realize: That’s the problem.”

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2. When OR Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell Donated A Kidney to a Stranger

This year, Oregon Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell donated her kidney to a stranger, survived a conservative recall attempt, and worked on legislation to include protections for organ donors under Oregon’s just-passed Paid Family and Medical Leave law, one of the most progressive leave policies in the nation. While Rep. Mitchell didn’t benefit from the law for her own surgery--the law goes into effect in 2020--she hopes her process and the passage of this bill inspires more people to consider becoming a donor. 2019 was also a huge year for paid family and medical leave progress in the states. Connecticut joined Oregon and also passed a new statewide law; California and New Jersey expanded their paid leave laws.

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3. NC State Representative Deb Butler Did Not, and Will Not, Yield.

When Republicans in the North Carolina state legislature lied to progressives about whether they would be voting to override the Governor's budget veto in an effort to keep them off the floor, Rep. Deb Butler stood strong for her values and earned national attention for protesting the measure from the House floor. Standing up for progressive budget priorities, like education, clean water, and affordable health care, she refused to yield while calling attention to the trickery and deceptiveness at play. See the MSNBC story here.

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4. Rep. Lamar Fought TN’s Abortion Ban as Only Female Legislator of Child-Bearing Age

In March of this year, the mostly-male Tennessee legislature (111 out of 132 members are men) was debating a six-week abortion ban. Rep. London Lamar fought against the ban, pointing out that she was one of, if not the only, female legislator of child-bearing age. “Access to abortion cannot be separated from human rights,” she said.

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5. MI Rep. Tenisha Yancey Fought to Give Michiganders a Second Chance

Rep. Tenisha Yancey of Michigan said the crimes she committed when she was 17 continue to “haunt her and follow her,” as she encouraged her colleagues to vote for a package of criminal justice reform bills. The legislation is notable not only for the impact it will have on the lives of Michiganders but also its strong bipartisan support and continues to the state Senate.

6. Crossing State Lines, Women Came Together to Stand Up for Abortion Access

Faced with dangerous abortion restrictions in their own states, Missouri Rep. Cora Faith Walker and Georgia legislators Sen. Nikema Williams and Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick traveled to visit the Illinois legislature for a press conference to underscore the urgency of the issue of abortion bans as Illinois considered a proactive measure on abortion access, known as theReproductive Health Act. With a broader understanding of the national effort to prohibit abortion, the IL legislature ultimately passed the Reproductive Heath Act.

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7. Sen. Stephanie Flowers Fought AR’s Stand Your Ground Bill: “You are not going to silence me!”

During a Judiciary Committee hearing on a so-called “stand your ground” bill, Arkansas State Senator Stephanie Flowers delivered stinging criticism of the bill. When committee leadership tried to speed debate along and cut her comments short, Sen. Flowers refused to be silenced. Fortunately, the bill died in the committee.

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8. If You Can’t say “Tampons,” You Shouldn’t Restrict Them

“If you don’t want to say the word ‘tampon,’ then you shouldn’t restrict access to one,” said Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod advocating on behalf of incarcerated women who have limited access to feminine hygiene products in prison. The bill, which ensures incarcerated women have access to the products they need, is now law.

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9. “If you’re not here fighting for the most vulnerable, why are you here?” Asks PA Sen. Katie Muth

When Republicans in the Pennsylvania Senate called for a vote to eliminate funding that supports the state’s poorest residents, Sen. Katie Muth took the podium and read the testimony of a formerly homeless man who benefited from the program that conservatives wanted to defund. While she read, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman continuously shouted over her—so much so that he became hoarse. Sen. Muth refused to be silenced and read the testimony in full, guaranteeing that the testimony would make it onto the official record.

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10. Rep. Howse Unleashes on Abortion Ban After El Salvador Trip

Five state legislators traveled to El Salvador with SiX staff to see the impacts of the country’s strict abortion bans. During the trip, conservatives in Ohio brought forward one of the most draconian abortion bans in the nation. Ohio Rep. Stephanie Howse returned from El Salvador recommitted to defending abortion access and unleashed on the bill in this interview with Scene Magazine. “Lawmakers are talking about ‘pro-life,’ but then give zero care about what sort of lives people are living. If they did, we'd have affordable housing. We'd have great education systems. We'd have family sustaining wages. We'd have access to healthcare,” said Rep. Howse.

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There were so many more moments from 2019 that demonstrated the dedication progressive state legislators bring to their work. We are thankful to every state legislator who works tirelessly to strengthen our democracy, fight for working families advance reproductive freedom, defend civil rights and liberties and protect the environment. Follow @stateinnovation on Twitter for highlights throughout the year.

Health care costs, support for working people top concerns in new Michigan poll

Voters support health care reforms and progressive economic initiatives

A recent poll conducted by Lincoln Park Strategies for SiX shows that economic concerns around the skyrocketing cost of health care and prescription drugs remain key issues for Michigan residents. It highlights that progressive policy solutions like addressing the abuses of drug companies, capping copays, and demanding more transparency are priorities for voters and would make a real difference for Michigan families.

Voters continue to support working people when it comes to measures that expand eligibility for overtime protections, prevent wage theft and payroll fraud, and create a student bill of rights for higher education loan borrowers. They also favor corporations paying their fair share of taxes, particularly as the state continues to grapple with finding enough revenue to invest in priorities like roads and schools.

Residents want action to improve election security

The survey also explored attitudes around the status of election security, openness to further voting reforms, and census participation. Michigan residents value more secure election systems and expect state lawmakers to address it. A majority of respondents supports taking the reforms approved by voters last year a step further by automatically mailing a ballot to all voters. A plurality are also interested in using the new online option for participating in the census next year.

For the polling on health care and economic issues, see more results here and analysis here. For the polling analysis on election security and the census, see here.

Survey Methodology

1,200 total interviews among registered voters were conducted from November 7-18, 2019
Interviews were conducted online, and over the phone (both landline and cell phones)
Results were weighted to ensure proportional response.
The margin of error for overall results is ±2.8% at the 95% confidence level. This number is higher for subgroups.

National Voter Registration Day Honors Our Future and Our Past

By Texas State Representative Toni Rose

I have voted in some elections that I’ve been really excited about, and some that I haven’t, but every time I go into that voting booth, I think of my grandmother and the obstacles she had to endure, and the price she had to pay for a poll tax in order for her to cast a vote. Now, the amount might seem small to some, but the disrespect and the indignities she suffered to cast her votes were huge.

That is why I celebrate National Voter Registration Day on September 24th. I have a duty as an American, as a Texan, and to my grandmother is to show up and cast my ballot in every election. We as citizens are charged with the responsibility of shaping the direction of this country and this state. If we don’t do our job, who will?

I don’t claim that it’s easy. The poll tax and the intimidation tactics are not a thing of the past, they have been modernized and come in many forms across the country and even in this state. It was a true disappointment that SB 9 was voted out of committee this past legislative session--a bill which would have opened the door to voter suppression, criminalize even honest mistakes, and opened Texas up to Election Day chaos by employing a voter verification program that proved to be unreliable and riddled with cybersecurity weaknesses in other states. In that hearing, I heard how passionate and important voting is to Texans. Over 200 people showed up to give public testimony in opposition to the bill. This critical hearing ran well past midnight and it was truly inspiring!

Don’t get me wrong, we absolutely need to make sure that our voting rolls are more accurate and secure; however, registration should also be more accessible and voting more convenient. We should push to modernize how we register and how we update registrations. Our laws should ensure that every eligible voter’s voice is heard, not make it more difficult for those who serve in the military, are elderly, or move often have difficulty exercising this sacred duty.

National Voter Registration Day is a holiday that we should all celebrate by checking our voter registration to make sure it is up to date and accurate and checking with our family, neighbors, and friends. We all know our democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard. Unfortunately, every year millions of eligible Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register.

In 2018, over 800,000 voters registered for the first time or updated their records on National Voter Registration Day. I believe that we could top that figure in 2019 in Texas alone! Celebrate September 24 by making sure your registration is up to date so that every Texan can fulfill their duty to this great state and country and make their voice heard!

House Member Toni Rose proudly represents District 110 in the Texas House of Representatives.

Arizona Progressives Hold Steady and Stem Conservative Overreach

Progressive legislators stood strong in the 2019 legislative session and were able to continue to articulate the bold vision outlined in the Sunrise Agenda. Progressive discipline helped produce better policy outcomes on education, the environment and democracy for Arizonans.

In Defense of Democracy

While progressives do not control either chamber, they were able to exert their influence and temper conservatives’ overreach. They successfully killed bills that would have made voting less accessible for eligible voters in Arizona. They successfully stopped legislation that would purge voters on the permanent early voting list and legislation that would cripple the ability to have voter registration drives.

Environmental Wins

Progressives were also able to work across the aisle and exert their influence to pass one of the most significant pieces of water legislation in Arizona’s history. The Drought Contingency Plan allows Arizona to join six other western states and Mexico in signing onto an inter-state water agreement and spells out ways Arizona will contribute to conserving more water from the Colorado River.

The Budget Fight

The conservatives refused to debate many of the priorities that Arizonans identify as critical—like affordable healthcare and housing—and instead fought for priorities that rig the rules for the wealthy and big businesses and protect their own power.

Conservatives prioritized big tax cuts to the wealthy and big corporations while attacking minimum wage. In the budget, Flagstaff—the only city in Arizona to pay higher than the state minimum wage of $11—is now forced to reimburse the state for the difference in wages of state employees who make more than the state minimum wage.

Progressives were able stand strong, creating a political environment that forced a compromise on funding for education. Spending for K-12 will be $5.2 billion, about $500 million more than in the current year--not nearly enough to deal with our current education crisis, but still a win for Arizona students.

Looking Forward

While the 2019 legislative session saw little progress on issues to help everyday Arizonans, progressive partners and legislators will continue to work with constituents and colleagues to build on the groundwork laid in 2019 to advance the priorities in the Sunrise Agenda: a stronger democracy; strong public schools; welcoming communities; a fair economy and cleaning up the tax code; and good stewardship of the state’s air, water and public lands.

In Nevada: First Female Majority Legislature Makes Significant Progressive Gains in 2019

In 2019, Nevada made history by becoming the first female majority legislature in the history of the United States. With this historic majority, the Nevada Legislature made momentous headway into improving our democracy and economy for working people. Through recently passed legislation, thousands of Nevadans will now have improved access to the ballot box and greater protections in the workplace.

4 Ways Nevada Progressives Made Our Democracy Stronger

Native American Voting Access

Assemblyman Watts championed AB 137, which removes the requirement for tribal governments to gain approval from election officials every election cycle to establish polling sites. Unless tribal leaders request a change, election clerks are required to continue to recognize the established polling places. This was Assemblyman Watt’s first piece of legislation that was signed into law.

Voting Restoration

Speaker Frierson led the charge to pass AB 431, a bill to restore the right to vote for convicted persons upon release from prison or discharge from parole or probation. Previously, a formerly incarcerated person had to petition to have their rights restored, as well as confusion about the law and process prevented many eligible Nevadans from voting. An estimated 77,000 citizen will regain their right to vote.

AB431SigningPic — *The signing of AB431*

Voting Omnibus Bill

The most comprehensive voting rights bill, AB 345, aims to ensure any eligible voter seeking to access the polling booth is able to cast a ballot. There are four key provisions in this legislation including voting anywhere, online registration, same day registration and improved accommodations. Clerks gain the ability to designate polling places where anyone registered in the county may vote, regardless of the assigned polling place. Voters will now be able to register to vote on Election Day and cast their ballot, as well as register online the same day. Individuals with disabilities, deployed oversees and the elderly can now request absentee ballots for all elections instead of having to request every election.

Census

The Nevada Legislature is laying the groundwork for a fair and accurate Census count and did so through three different pieces of legislation. AJR 6, championed by the late Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson, is a resolution urging Congress to not include the citizenship question. $5 million of funding for Census outreach to underserved communities was appropriated through SB 504. Finally, AB 450 was signed into law, which is legislation that counts prison inmates in their home districts instead of prison districts for redistricting purposes.

4 Ways Nevada Progressives Made Our Economy Stronger

The Nevada Legislature took important steps toward bringing economic security to Nevada workers through several pieces of legislation, including equal pay for equal work, raising the minimum wage, earned sick days, and protecting the right to join together in union.

Equal Pay

After four years and three sessions, Senator Pat Spearman passed her Equal Pay for Equal Work legislation. Women finally have state protections if they are paid less than their male counterparts to seek justice.

Minimum Wage

After ten years without an increase in the state minimum wage, Assembly leadership sponsored legislation to begin a stepped increase to raise the minimum wage to $12 incrementally over the next five years. Additionally, the process to remove the health care provision tied to minimum wage in the Constitution was initiated.

Earned Sick Days

Previously, workers in Nevada did not legally have access to earned sick days, even if they worked full time. The new law allows for the accrual of 5 days off of earned sick time annually at employers with 50 employees or more.

EarnedSick2 — *Earned sick day advocates at the Nevada State Capitol*

State Employee Collective Bargaining

The bill protects the rights of state employees to join together in union to negotiate wages, vacation, sick leave, safety issues, hours and days of work, and more. Senator David Parks carried the bill for ten years before its passage this year.

Pic 2 photo cred AFSCME Local 4041 — *Photo from AFSCME Local 4041 at a collective bargaining rally*

How to Support a Fair and Accurate Census

Why Does the 2020 Census Matter?

Census data determine the allocation of more than $800 billion in annual federal funding and are often used in state and local policy making, decision making, and research. An inaccurate census in 2020 would jeopardize state funds for over 300 federal programs and compromise crucial supports for marginalized communities. Census data are also used for the reapportionment and redistricting processes and therefore vital to advancing a fair and representative democracy. Ensuring that all residents in your state are counted will require funding, coordination, and commitment from policymakers but will provide your constituents the resources and representation they deserve.

It’s critical for states to prepare now. Under SiX’s new Democracy Project, we’re working with legislators nationwide to support the census and to raise awareness of the count in local communities.

You can support the Census through legislation:
If you're a legislator and want to support the Census in your state, review this 2020 Census Legislator Brief (email info@stateinnovation.org if you need the password). Created by SiX, Common Cause, and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the brief offers concrete policy and outreach guidance for legislators working to ensure the 2020 Census is fair and accurate. You can also email democracy@stateinnovation.org to learn about additional, innovative census bills and initiatives.

You can also use your platform as an elected official to highlight the importance of the 2020 Census and drive participation in your community:

Hold a town hall, telephone town hall, or Facebook Live session with representatives from local Complete Count Committees or organizations serving hard-to-count communities.
Submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor highlighting the importance of the census for your community and the need for full funding and preparation.

Highlight the census in your newsletter. Outline what’s at stake for your community and let folks know about census jobs coming to your area.

Post on social media using the hashtags #CountMeIn and #2020Census and share content from census experts and advocates.

Record a video that highlights how you’re supporting the 2020 Census as a state legislator. Share it on social media using #CountMeIn, tag @StateInnovation and send to democracy@stateinnovation.org for SiX to include an upcoming video project!

Reach out to democracy@stateinnovation.org for support on these or any other ideas.

Join the SiX Democracy Project!

SiX is launching the Democracy Project, a new program to ensure progressive state legislators across the country have the resources and support they need in order to champion democracy issues in their states. Email democracy@stateinnovation.org to join.