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.

8 Bold Laws State Legislators Passed This Year

Every legislative session brings its share of twists, turns, and unique hurdles. But 2021 greeted state legislators with an exceptionally challenging session marked by a worsening pandemic and sluggish economy. Despite unprecedented barriers and growing community needs, state lawmakers delivered victories for working people, and even passed laws that seemed unimaginable a few short years ago.

Here are eight of the boldest progressive laws state legislators passed this legislative session.

Virginia passes its own Voting Rights Act

For nearly fifty years, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 acted as a guardrail, steering states away from Jim Crow policies and closer to realizing the principle of "one person, one vote." But in 2013, the Supreme Court gutted a vital part of the law, clearing the way for states with a history of voter suppression to change laws without federal approval. The ruling opened the floodgates to a sea of polling place closures, voter ID laws, and other anti-voter regulations that continue to this day.

As voting rights advocates work to formalize and reinstate voter protections at the federal level, Virginia legislators stepped up to adopt a voting rights act for their state. The first-of-its-kind, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia requires pre-approval before election changes and expressly outlaws racial voter discrimination.

Three white primary election voters arrive at polling place in Arlington Virginia. Sign reads, "Vote. Photo ID Required." — *Primary election voters arrive passing “Photo ID Required sign” on the way to polling place in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo: Rob Crandall / Shutterstock)*

Maine requires a racial impact analysis of new laws

More Americans than ever realize that even seemingly "race-neutral" laws and customs can disproportionately impact people of color. Maine is one of many states to embrace our national reckoning with race and use it as an opportunity to pass anti-racist progressive policy.

Shortly after becoming the first Black woman to serve a leadership role in Maine's legislature, Assistant House Majority Leader Rachel Talbot Ross sponsored a first-of-its-kind racial impact assessment law. Just as many legislatures evaluate bills for fiscal impact, the new law requires state lawmakers to analyze all proposed bills for impacts on marginalized communities. The law, which will be piloted in the 2022 legislative session, helps make racial equity a central component of the legislative process rather than an afterthought.

Colorado creates a “bill of rights” for farmworkers

One of the biggest triumphs of Colorado's historic legislative session is the "Farmworkers’ Bill of Rights," a law that will overhaul protections for Colorado farm laborers. Because agriculture workers have historically been excluded from many rights that other working people enjoy, they experience disproportionate levels of poverty and fatal work injuries.

California, New York, and Washington have made significant strides to protect farm laborers, but no state has enacted a policy as comprehensive as Colorado's new law. The Farmworkers’ Bill of Rights will require that farmworkers be paid the state minimum wage—$12.32 per hour—rather than the federal rate of $7.25. The legislation will also ensure that Colorado's nearly 40,000 farmworkers receive overtime pay, have the right to organize, and can take meal breaks and rest periods.

Farm laborers harvest strawberries in field — *California farm laborers harvest strawberries. (Photo: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash)*

Nevada waives college tuition for Native American residents

One in three Americans over the age of 25 has a Bachelor's degree, compared to only 14% of Native Americans. While not the only barrier to college enrollment, college affordability is a substantial burden for Native communities, which have the highest poverty rate in the United States.

A recent law will waive tuition and fees at Nevada's two-year and four-year state colleges for enrolled members of any of the state's 27 tribes. The legislation also grants in-state tuition to members of federally recognized tribes outside of Nevada.

Though the tuition waiver cannot undo the harms inflicted upon indigenous Nevadans, it is an important step in the state's long-overdue process of repairing generations of state-sponsored violence.

Maryland leads the way on police reform

In 1974, Maryland became the first state in the nation to enact a "bill of rights" for police officers. This year, Maryland made history again, but this time for becoming the first state in the nation to overturn its Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.

With an ambitious package of reforms championed by House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, Maryland is rising to the forefront of states reimagining the role of policing. The law, which passed in the wake of Derek Chauvin's trial, also bans no-knock-warrants, and establishes one of the nation's strictest use of force policies.

*Demonstrators raise their fists during a Black Lives Matter protest on Veteran Plaza in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland (Joao Kermadec / Shutterstock)*

New Mexico protects abortion rights

In a year when state legislatures considered over 550 bills to restrict abortion, New Mexico legislators bucked the trend by repealing an outdated abortion statute. The 1969 law was not being enforced, but it left New Mexicans vulnerable to a rollback in reproductive rights if the Supreme Court overturned its 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.

The move underscores the importance of proactively defending the right to abortion care, regardless of what cases are on the Supreme Court's docket.

Washington State makes the wealthy pay their fair share

Washington's new capital gains tax is a monumental victory for working people. For decades, Washington’s upside-down tax code favored the wealthy at the expense of the lowest earners in the state: a 2018 report found that Washington's regressive tax system was the least equitable in the entire country. Beginning in 2022, a new capital gains tax will begin rebalancing the tax code in a way that benefits all Washingtonians.

The legislation will generate an estimated $445 million each year by imposing a 7% tax on profits exceeding $250,000 from the sale of stocks and other investments. Washington will funnel the newly generated funds into the state's struggling public schools.

Black father playing with daughter on playground slide — *A father plays on the slide with his daughter at a public city park in Tacoma, Washington. (iStock)*

Illinois abolishes cash bail

Activists and researchers have long known that the system of cash bail is inherently biased against low-income defendants. When faced with costly bail or an indefinite stay in one of our nation's inhumane jails, many Americans without means are coerced into a plea bargain, regardless of guilt.

Though several states have reformed cash bail, efforts to pass an outright ban have fallen short—until this year. In February, Illinois became the first state in the country to abolish the use of money bail. The landmark new law, championed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and organizations like End Money Bond, passed alongside a sweeping criminal justice reform package.

State Roundup: Cannabis Equity, Workers' Rights, & More

We know not all news coming out of state legislatures is positive right now, so this week we're celebrating the hard work progressive state legislators are doing every day to fight for their communities.

Cannabis Equity Bill Clears Illinois House

Recreational marijuana was more than a $1 billion dollar industry in Illinois last year. This week the House passed a bill to make owning dispensaries more accessible to people of color, women, people living in low-income communities, and those with previous marijuana charges. By tweaking the lottery system, the new approach gives a much more diverse group of people the opportunity to participate in the lucrative industry that has otherwise benefited primarily privileged groups, like white, and already wealthy, men.

Incarcerated Women Gain Basic Protections in New Mississippi Law

newborn checked by doctors in hospital — Photo by Solen Feyissa/Unsplash

A new bipartisan Mississippi law grants basic rights and health care to pregnant incarcerated women. The law prevents the shackling of women during childbirth, ensures the newborn can stay with its mother for 72 hours after birth, requires staff training, prevents invasive searches not provided by health care professionals, and allows for visitation with young children, among other provisions. These are small but needed steps to improve a prison system that too often neglects the health and well-being of pregnant women.

Workers Win in Washington State Session

The Washington state legislature adjourned late last month. Among several groundbreaking progressive bills were major gains for workers. Employees can now put a temporary hold on the assets of an employer who engages in wage theft. All workers, regardless of immigration status, now have access to free legal assistance; farmworkers were awarded overtime pay; and the budget allocated millions for child care programs.

New York Provides Stimulus for Undocumented Immigrants

Person dressed as Lady Liberty standing in park with sign; sign reads "Lady Liberty wants DREAMers to stay." — Photo by Maria Oswalt/Unsplash

Immigrants are one of several groups hit hardest by the pandemic. Not only did they have a higher rate of contracting the virus, but immigrants were on the front lines of the pandemic—many work in jobs considered essential and kept our communities afloat while others were able to safely quarantine. Yet almost every federal program to keep people employed or safe, or to stimulate the economy, excluded aid to immigrants. But New York’s $2.1 billion stimulus to undocumented immigrants, part of the Excluded Worker Fund, will help 290,000 people directly get the benefits they have earned and deserve.

Nebraska Unemployment Extended to Caregivers

Attentive caregiver or companion and a senior adult woman in protective masks are sitting on a park bench. Summer sunny day.

The pandemic proved that most employment opportunities do not allow for the flexibility to both keep one’s job and care for a seriously ill relative. Many were forced to quit in order to help loved ones battle COVID. But now, Nebraskans forced to quit their jobs to care for sick relatives are eligible to apply for unemployment.

States Celebrate World Bee Day by Adding Protection

Dozens of bees working — Photo by Damien TUPINIER/Unsplash

World Bee Day was earlier this week and bees in several states can celebrate their legislatures’ passage of bills that limit or ban neonicotinoids, a pesticide that researchers have linked to a sharp decline in bees and pollinators around the world. States that have passed or are considering this legislation are Maine, New York, and Washington. Bees are critical to the pollination of many of our staple food crops. Protecting bees and pollinators contributes to the health and resiliency of our entire food system.

Need Volunteer Poll Workers? Wisconsin is All Set

Election poll workers wear masks during the primary election day in Nevada — Photo by Trevor Bexon / Shutterstock

A new bill in the Wisconsin legislature would require elected officials to volunteer as poll workers. The goal is to increase transparency and understanding of the election process and provides a much-needed solution to a volunteer and staffing shortage. Judges and those on the ballot would be excluded from having to serve.

Vermont Addresses Past, Present, and Future Reproductive Freedom

Exterior of the Vermont state capitol building — *Vermont State House in Montpelier, Vermont*

We know that there’s a deep and continued history of racism and sexism in our medical institutions—from non-consensual medical experimentation, to forced birth, to inequitable access to health care services, to forced sterilization, to inequitable infant and maternal health outcomes. Vermont took steps this session to repair these injustices by addressing the past and future: legislators passed a resolution apologizing for past state-sanctioned eugenics policies that led to sterilizations and passed a measure that would enshrine reproductive liberty in the state's constitution.

Is SiX the ALEC of the Left?

We get called the “ALEC of the left” a lot.

While it is easy shorthand for people to understand what we do, we resist that label because ALEC’s model is inherently flawed and harmful for our nation. SiX, like ALEC, focuses on state legislators because we know they are incredible agents of change. But that’s where the similarities end.

SiX exists to fill a gap in the progressive movement: helping legislators succeed after they are elected. We work side-by-side with state legislators to advance progressive policy and build people power. ALEC is a corporate-backed organization that creates model legislation to benefit conservative special interests.

ALEC takes advantage of under-resourced state legislatures with a top-down approach, pushing legislation from out-of-state corporations devoid of local need or context.
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Collaborating with state legislators and their communities means we don’t create model legislation. We know that legislators don’t need national organizations to parachute in and offer copycat legislation just to pick up and leave the next day. SiX offers ongoing and personalized support; creates innovative ways to connect legislators across chambers, state lines, and with grassroots movements; and provides rapid response resources to help legislators bravely face new issues.

There are over 7,300 state legislators in the United States, and many are part-time, paid very little (if at all), and given few resources. ALEC takes advantage of under-resourced state legislatures with a top-down approach, pushing legislation from out-of-state corporations devoid of local need or context; sometimes, bill sponsors aren’t even aware the legislation they’re voting on is an ALEC bill. For example, ALEC members drafted a model voter ID bill in 2009. By 2012, 62 different voter ID bills had been introduced—and more than half the bill sponsors were ALEC members or conference attendees.

Voter casting ballot in sitdown booth while other voters pass by in foreground — *Voters cast their ballots during the New Hampshire presidential primary in Bedford, N.H. (Andrew Cline / Shutterstock)*

We don’t aspire to mimic ALEC’s playbook. Instead, we use a ground-up approach to center legislators who are navigating complex situations and competing needs within their communities.

Here’s what that looks like in practice: just recently, when a state legislator approached us for help with a bill to reduce traffic stops, our team provided research on similar laws that generated cost savings and reduced disproportionate law enforcement contact for Black motorists, and connected the legislator to government officials and academic experts.

Early in 2021, we conducted a legislator training with a staffer who worked on Sen. Booker’s Justice for Black Farmers Act. The training has already sparked cross-state partnerships and the introduction of bills to create land restoration programs and impact studies.

colin lloyd hands raised colorado state capitol — *Demonstrator with hands raised at Black Lives Matter rally near Colorado State Capitol (Photo by Colin Lloyd on Unsplash)*

Our staff of thirty—and growing—former and current elected officials, legislative specialists, communications professionals, and organizers are doing similar work with legislators all over the country. Real progress doesn’t come from a bill mill. It comes from showing up day after day, to resource decision-makers with what they need to solve their communities’ problems.

At SiX, we do our work because we know that to improve people’s lives, we have to break the cycle of disinformation, distrust, and disenfranchisement that has made so many Americans question the results of one of the most secure elections in our nation’s history. It’s why we work side-by-side with state legislators to advance a vision of America where all people—Black, white, and brown alike—can thrive. State legislatures not only make decisions that affect the well-being of everyday Americans; they are also innovation hubs where people can come together to create solutions that ripple out and determine the future of our nation.

State Roundup: Voting Rights Expansions and Mental Health Days for Students

Each month we highlight 10 positive developments that emerged from state legislatures. You can view and share a version of this roundup on Twitter.

Tennessee Recognizes Doulas

Tennessee passed Rep. London Lamar's bill recognizing doulas as "vital childbirth team members."

Rep. Lamar hopes the bill will help lead TN to designate doulas as health professionals and require private insurance and Medicaid to cover their services.

First bill of the year passed sub committee! Doula support in Tennessee is moving! 🙌🏾
— Senator London Lamar (@SenatorLamar) February 23, 2021

Massachusetts Goes All In On Environmental Protection

Massachusetts enacted a sweeping climate change law that will require the state to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, codify environmental justice protections, prioritize solar power for low-income housing, and more.

Maine's Landmark Racial Impact Law

Maine enacted a law requiring that all state legislation be assessed for its potential impact on people of color.

State Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, the first Black person to serve a leadership role in the Maine legislature, sponsored the law.

Colorado Moves To Expand Multilingual Ballots

A new Colorado bill sponsored by State Rep. Yadira Caraveo will require more counties to provide multilingual voter ballots and establish a hotline with translators by the 2022 election.

Just now: the House passed my bill to expand multilingual ballot access on a *bipartisan* vote. I've worked on this bill since my first campaign in 2018, when I heard about the challenges that my constituents faced as they tried to participate in our democracy. #coleg #copolitics pic.twitter.com/Pqq20on8QN
— Dr. Yadira Caraveo (@YadiraCaraveo) March 29, 2021

Voting Restoration in Washington

Washington state passed a bill that will automatically restore voting rights to people who have completed a prison sentence.

Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign.

Maryland Supports Libraries

Maryland became the first state to guarantee that libraries can license e-books "on reasonable terms."

Mental Health Days for Arizona's Students

The Arizona legislature passed State Rep. Sean Bowie's bill, which clarifies that "mental health days" count as excused absences in K-12 schools.

Great news! Our bill to clarify that mental health days count as an excused absence in our K-12 schools passed the House today with strong bipartisan support! It's now headed to the governor's desk. Thank you to my colleagues for their support! #SB1097 https://t.co/1ubGLliGsY
— Sean Bowie (@seanbowie) March 11, 2021

LGBTQ Seniors in New Jersey Have New Protections

New Jersey enacted an LGBTQI+ Senior Bill of Rights, which will bar long-term care facilities from discriminating based on sexuality, gender, or HIV status.

A Voting Rights Act for Virginia

Virginia is poised to become the first state to enact its own version of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013.

The bill was drafted by two Black women lawmakers—Delegate Cia Price and Delegate Jennifer McClellan.

Historic Session in New Mexico

New Mexico's legislature closed out its session by passing progressive bills that will protect abortion rights, guarantee paid sick leave for employees at private companies, and end qualified immunity for police.

Preparing for Statehouse Violence

Table Of Contents

Govern Safely
Commit to transformation
Downloads & Other Resources

Following the January 6 attacks, we have compiled important information with recommendations on how legislators can protect their personal and digital safety, demand accountability, and commit to a generation of cultural transformation.

Govern Safely

Protect your personal/family safety. Take any threats of violence seriously, and report all threats to the appropriate law enforcement agency in your state, and the FBI.

Transition to full remote governance. Due to the heightened security risk at state capitols–both due to threats of violence and the raging global pandemic–work with your legislative and constitutional officers to move to full remote governance. Many states have already moved their legislative work online in accessible, democratic ways. For more information on how to make this transition, please reference these materials we produced earlier last summer with our partners, Demand Progress, and U.S. Representative Katie Porter.

Minimize the risk of violence at your state capitol. If remote governance is not a possibility, focus on understanding your safety risks at your place of work. Demand clear and sufficient information about how your security team is prepared for attacks. Do not force a public written response, as that may compromise everyone's safety if details of the security plan are publicly known. Advocate for swift gun-safety changes at the capitol, including banning the open or concealed carry of weapons, even for legislators (some who may have had a hand in the recent violent insurrection in the U.S. Capitol). Michigan was recently able to ban open carry in their capitol with bipartisan support. For direct support on gun safety policies, contact stategovaffairs@everytown.org.

Demand accountability. Impeach. Expel. Investigate. Demand that Trump and his co-conspirators, from Senators and House Members to state legislators, who fed, fueled, and fomented these attacks on our democracy must also be removed or resign.

Expose and document extremist behaviors in your institutions. Join this public call for individuals, elected officials (local & state), and law enforcement to publicly condemn white supremacist groups and violence. Join together with your neighbors and proclaim that this type of violence will not be permitted in our backyards. Commit to exposing it, pushing back on it, protecting against it, and punishing it when you see it. Consider the tools you have available to you to expose extremist behaviors in your state government, including open records requests and other tools to expose those who conspired to commit violent insurrection and sedition against our nation.

Commit to transformation

Acknowledge that violent white extremism is an ongoing threat to democracy. Do not attempt to minimize these attacks or assign blame to fringe elements of our society. The current violence is the result of centuries of white supremacy combined with a political system that more often than not rewards anti-democratic measures and racist and anti-Semitic means. The rise of authoritarianism, violent white supremacy, and populism is front-and-center in our global political discourse. The work ahead to find truth, reconciliation, and healing will require deep, ongoing transformative work. It is unfair and unwise to place this vast social challenge at the feet of police and armed guards whose only known response mechanism is more violence, or who may have been involved in the attacks.

Use your position to change the definition of public leadership. Take a bold public stand against white supremacy in your official capacity. You can amend existing state loyalty oaths for legislators, legislative candidates, and/or state employees to include the denunciation of white supremacy groups. See an example from Illinois here.

Deeply invest in multi-racial organizing rooted in race equity. It is not a coincidence that the attack on the Capitol was on the same day that the transformational organizing work of Black and Brown communities flipped two U.S. Senate seats, changing partisan control of the chamber. Violent white backlash is a hallmark of American history and this type of terrorism demonstrates that extremists are afraid of the ascending power of BIPOC communities across this country.

As we allow ourselves the space to grieve and rage, let us also be emboldened by the knowledge that our strategy is working. We must continue to fight tirelessly to build a robust, multi-racial democracy and dream of the country we want to live in.

Downloads & Other Resources

E-mail helpdesk@stateinnovation.org to request access to the recording of a training withClick to watch training with the Digital Defense Fund, SiX, and Local Progress or view slides below to learn how to take proactive measures to prioritize your physical and digital safety.
- Additional resources shared during the presentation:
  - Guidance for Reporting on Extremist Groups & Threats
  - Violence Prevention & De-escalation Resources for State & Local Officials
  - Many states have address confidentiality programs for various folks; more info at https://victimconnect.org/resources/address-confidentiality/
  - On collecting doxxing evidence: endtechabuse.org

Digital Security Essentials for Elected Officials (PDF)Download

What Just Happened in the States

Partisan Control of State Legislatures Remains Largely Unchanged

In November 2020, nearly 6,000 of the nation’s 7,383 state legislative seats were up for election. Come January 2021, the partisan control of state legislatures will look almost identical to how they looked two years prior: of the 98 chambers that have partisan control, 59 are held by Republicans, 37 by Democrats (as of this writing, the Arizona Senate and House remain in flux; Nebraska is a unicameral, nonpartisan chamber).

Though communities of color in Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan beat back Donald Trump’s fascism and division federally, gerrymandering and other structural barriers kept their state legislatures relatively unchanged. For example, in Wisconsin, Joe Biden won 49.4% of the vote (as of November 5th), but Republicans retained 61% of all state legislative seats.

Progressive Policy Victories Were Achieved via Ballot Measure

Voters of all political persuasions overwhelmingly support progressive public policy options, mostly through direct democracy in the ballot measure process.

Alabama voters removed racist language from their state constitution.
In California, voters restored voting rights to individuals serving parole for felony convictions.
In Colorado, voters rejected a ban on later abortion—in even higher numbers than they voted for Joe Biden—again affirming broad bipartisan support for abortion access.
In Colorado, voters also approved a new national standard for paid family and medical leave, which will begin in 2024.
In Florida, almost 61% of voters approved raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026.
In Utah and Nebraska, voters stripped the “slavery as a punishment” clause from their state constitutions.
Marijuana was decriminalized, legalized, and/or taxed in five states: Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota.

Statehouses Across the Country Will Be More Diverse

The 2020 election produced a diverse new class of progressive electeds in red and blue states alike.

Oklahoma elected the country’s first openly nonbinary state legislator, Mauree Turner– and they are a Muslim millennial!
In New Mexico, there is now a 37–33 majority of women in the House.
Five newly elected state legislators will become the first Muslim legislators in their states: Mauree Turner in Oklahoma, Madinah Wilson-Anton in Delaware, Iman Jodeh in Colorado, Samba Baldeh in Wisconsin, and Christopher Benjamin in Florida.

Several LGBTQIA “firsts” were celebrated throughout the country: In Delaware, Sarah McBride became the first transgender person elected to a state Senate. Two other Democrats became the first openly transgender people to win seats in their states’ Houses: Taylor Small in Vermont and Stephanie Byers in Kansas. Tenessee elected its first openly gay and openly bisexual legislators, Eddie Mannis and Torrey Harris, respectively.
In Washington state, the number of Black women legislators tripled from the previous year.

The pipeline of public leadership is starting to look more like America— but we still have far to go. We can never achieve justice if our decision-makers are older, whiter, and more affluent than the people they represent; only 29% of state legislators who hold office are women and 78% are white.

In many states, legislators are part-time, paid very little (if at all,) and required to drop everything to be fully available for their legislative sessions. This has led to state legislatures being disproportionately composed of retirees, independently wealthy people, and those whose educational and career privileges allow them to hit pause on their careers for up to several months per year without repercussions.

What Comes Next

The most immediate challenge facing all state legislatures next year will be swelling budget deficits due to the pandemic and the recession. At the same time, state legislators face an extreme risk across the progressive movement—that all hopes are laid at the feet of the new President without an acknowledgment that state legislatures have significant power to shape the political terrain for generations to come.

We know that bold champions can make a difference in every legislative context — majorities, minorities, and split governance states — and our champions need resources and support to create transformative change. SiX is designed precisely for this work.

The road ahead isn’t easy, but the work to transform this country is a long arc. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and are so grateful to be in this generational struggle.

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to White Legislators

See our blog post and other messages here.

We write with the assumption that you’ve seen the calls to be antiracist, the multitude of resources for white allies, and the action steps white Americans are being called to take. We echo the calls to find ways to talk with other white people (including your families and your constituents) about how to show up differently. If you have questions or other needs about stepping fully into this type of work, reach out.

But we are not here to implore you just to be strong white allies in the broad sense, but rather to use your distinct power as white state legislators to fight for racial justice. Do your research, listen, and follow the lead of your Black colleagues on the frontlines. If you’re showing up fully, it is going to feel uncomfortable. You will feel stretched and challenged to partner differently with your Black colleagues and constituents, you will realize there are many things you don’t know, and this will require humility and an earnest desire to proactively learn, grow, and stumble along the way.

What does this look like? Ask yourself:

Have you checked in on your Black colleagues? Have you asked them how they are doing personally and how you can be supportive during this time? When they have made specific requests for support, have you honored those requests? Are you proactively stepping in to share in the emotional and physical labor of advancing racial justice under the dome?

Are you supporting legislation to combat police brutality and advance racial equity? Are you using your privilege to do more than co-sponsor bills? Are you convincing other white colleagues (in your caucus or across the aisle) to sign on; are you calling on leadership to prioritize these bills? Are you championing these bills in your community and with your constituents? Are you giving credit and airtime to your Black legislative peers so their voices are centered?

How do you include and center the experiences of Black voices in the creation of your public policy priorities from here on out? How do you engage and build relationships with your Black constituents? How does racial equity show up in the ways you identify, recruit, and support the staff and volunteers you work with?

This is not a moment to temporarily support racial justice, but to fully embrace the lifetime commitment it will take to radically transform our society, our democracy, and our institutions.

To those of you who are seeking moderate reforms, we implore you to stop, listen, and support the work of your Black colleagues. Remind yourself that you and your family have not survived the terror of white supremacy for generations and that you cannot truly understand the experiences of being Black in America.

If you are struggling to respond to constituents who don’t realize that business losses are replaceable, but Black life is not, that the best answer is policy reform that takes the side of justice, not property protection. Know that history will condemn complicity, silence, or aggression in this moment of transformation. It may be tempting to go for the quick wins, but we implore you step back and center the voices of Black folks who have been fighting for liberation for centuries.

Simply, we ask that you live into a new form of governing--by listening to the people who are closest to the pain.

Do not fall into the trap of thinking this is not your issue, this is not your struggle. We all know that racism relies on pitting working people against each other and against good government; we know that economic pain is used to fuel racial resentment and facilitates scapegoating. We can see all of this culminating in the debates about the protests that are happening today.

I hope you see that each of us has a role to play in building a world that honors, respects and protects Black lives. Our lives, our communities, and our future depends on it.

In the words of Angela Davis, “freedom is a constant struggle.” Are you in it?

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to Legislators of Color Who Are Not Black

See our blog post and other messages here.

As leaders of color, our goal in this fight is to honor and uplift the needs of Black folks who are fed up with 400 years of anti-Black racism and white supremacy. We also recognize the unique responsibility of SiX to provide space to mobilize people who are not Black to join in this work and find unique ways to support legislators in our network who are actively grappling with anti-Blackness at the center of policies that have harmed communities for generations.

White supremacy threatens our lives on a daily basis — although the effects of anti-Black racism are not experienced by each of us equally. We are all aware that the racial caste system in which we live and breathe is designed to sow disunity and distrust across lines of difference. We see it in anti-Black attitudes and behaviors in our communities and families, the colorism that praises light skin and proximity to whiteness and demonizes darkness, and the way communities of color are often pitted against each other regardless of who holds political power. To dismantle this system, we must show up as allies and partners in this moment by uplifting, supporting, and collaborating with our Black colleagues and constituents.

We know that so many of you, like us, find yourselves swinging between rage, grief, and hopelessness. We know you respect the needs of your Black colleagues, and that you may also need space to process and conspire, without managing the reactions and emotions of your white colleagues who, perhaps for the first time, are realizing the depth of violence and destruction white supremacy has wrought in our communities for centuries. As you hold this depth of complexity, we ask that we collectively step up our efforts to fight anti-Black racism broadly, which starts with an examination of our own attitudes, beliefs, and actions. We implore you to seek and share resources that can help you take on the leadership of talking with your families and communities in a way that builds deeper solidarity, trust, and connection in this fight for our collective humanity.

Like you all, we know that the fight for racial justice is beyond thoughts and prayers. As we have offered to your Black colleagues, we want to offer partnership with you in this fight. We will be lifting up policy solutions supported by Black-led organizations and creating spaces for legislators to learn about these policies. We will be working with Black-led organizations and movement leaders to bring resources, viewpoints, and leadership to our full network. We will also remain open to new ideas and new calls for action. Let us know if there are any additional supports we can offer at this time. You can send recommendations or ideas to helpdesk@stateinnovation.org.

We will continue this fight and work directly with all of you in our network who are actively grappling with the anti-Blackness at the center of policies that have harmed communities for generations. SiX is here to partner with you and your colleagues to envision a new way to govern, one that centers liberation long promised and never delivered.

Finally, thank you for all that you do for your communities.

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Message to Black Legislators

See our blog post and other messages here.

First, we want to recognize that you are being called to do more than what seems humanly possible in moments like these: lead your community, legislate within historically white power structures, organize/educate/lobby your caucuses, deal with constituents (both supportive and awful)–all while dealing with the personal grief, rage, frustration, and fear that comes with being Black in America today.

We are committed to supporting your leadership and work to dismantle anti-Black racism and white supremacy. We will be lifting up policy solutions supported by Black-led organizations and creating spaces for legislators to learn about these policies. We will be working with Black-led organizations and movement leaders to bring resources, viewpoints, and leadership to our full network. We will be monitoring news and social media for your voices and work to lift them up across state lines. We will be clarifying specific actions that your legislative colleagues must take. We will also remain open to new ideas and new calls for action.

Most importantly, we want to affirm that we are listening and will respond to the needs you raise. We aren’t looking for you to tackle this herculean challenge alone, so please know that we are ready to commit our staff and organizational resources to the requests you make of us. As our team takes appropriate space to center your voices, let us know if there are any additional supports we can offer at this time. You can send recommendations or ideas to helpdesk@stateinnovation.org.

Finally, thank you. We know that you have been leaders in this fight - with your families, your communities, and among your elected colleagues - for long before the protests hit the mainstream news. The work you have already done in your states–including the 136 state and local policies that have passed to combat police brutality since 2014–is a beacon of hope and possibility for the reforms our nation is finally calling for.

Thank you for continuing to lead in this moment. You are the leaders our nation needs right now.

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

Anti-Black Racism Must End in This Country: A Call for Justice, Solidarity, and Action to Legislators in Our Network

By Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

State Legislators,

We write to you with profound grief, rage, and frustration, but also with deep hope that this network of state legislators can rise to meet this moment and leverage the power of our collective work to fight for a nation that honors, respects, and protects Black lives. We call for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Nina Pop, Ahmaud Arbery, Dreasjon Reed, Tony McDade, David McAtee, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others.

As an organization that works to transform systems through liberatory public policy, we know anti-Black racism is a systemic problem that requires systemic solutions and a lifetime commitment from each of us. And we must acknowledge that historically, SiX has fallen short in our own external and internal work to live fully into this commitment - when we haven’t centered Black voices in public policy or partnership, when we haven’t committed our staff and financial resources to fully uprooting anti-Black racism in public policy, and when we haven’t worked aggressively enough to support, affirm and promote Black voices internally on our staff. This moment calls us all to reckon with the harms of the past and recommit ourselves to a different path forward. SiX is prepared to shift our approach, and this is a first step in a life-long commitment we’re making for this organization. We hope each of you will join us in this work.

We unequivocally condemn over 400 years of anti-Black racism in this country in all its forms, including police violence, white vigilante violence, and the continued lynching of Black people. We envision an equitable, resilient, healthy, and prosperous future for every person, and ending anti-Black racism and white supremacy is central to the world we are working to build. To that end, you will find three separate messages below - one to Black legislators, one to legislators of color who are not Black, and one to white legislators.

We have written messages to folks from different racial identities in our network because we recognize the unique pain, rage, and burden that our Black colleagues are carrying; the opportunity we have to call in legislators of color who are not Black to show up in solidarity and action; and the significant responsibility that lies with our white colleagues to radically and rapidly shift their orientation toward racial justice from here on out.

As leaders of color who are not Black, we know that our liberation, our freedom, and our ability to live free from fear is rooted in ending anti-Blackness and white supremacy. We are holding with humility that organizations like ours are not and should not be at the center of decision making for Black-led grassroots movements that have spent centuries advancing justice before this moment in time. We are committed to following the leadership of Black-led organizations and leaders in the Movement for Black Lives. We remain committed to our mission to empower, embolden, and equip state legislators to build and wield progressive governing power by/with/for the people they represent. And this means centering the voices, experiences, and demands of Black folks in this country in public policy.

We write these letters with the heaviness of knowing that you all combined have tremendous power to create real change, but that tensions, ignorance, internal disputes, fear, and division have stood in the way of change in the past and threaten to stand in the way again today. We write with the guarded optimism of knowing that today, state leaders are the greatest chance for change but that it will take all of us, working together, to achieve that. Our nation is yearning for visionary and bold leadership–let us work together to provide it.

We want to remind you that we are here to provide state legislators with the tools needed to shape impactful public policy and build partnerships–across chambers, across regions, across state lines, and with grassroots movements. Please, reach out with policy, strategy, or communications questions. We are also here to lift up your leadership–so let us know what you are working on so that we can amplify and share.

See the messages here:
Message to Black Legislators
Message to Legislators of Color Who Are Not Black
Message to White Legislators

--Jessie Ulibarri and Neha Patel, SiX Co-Executive Directors

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.

The Growing Shadow of State Interference: Preemption in the 2019 State Legislative Sessions

Today, many of America’s cities, towns, and counties have less power than they did at the start of the year to protect the health and safety of their communities or to respond to the unique needs and values of their residents. That’s because between January and June 2019, state legislatures across the nation continued a troubling trend of passing more laws forbidding or “preempting” local control over a large and growing set of public health, economic, environmental, and social justice policy solutions. This legislative session, state lawmakers made it illegal for locally-elected officials to enact a plastic bag ban in Tennessee, raise revenues in Oregon, regulate e-cigarettes in Arkansas, establish minimum wages in North Dakota, protect county residents from water and air pollution produced by animal feedlots in Missouri, or protect immigrants from unjust incarceration in Florida.

Some states this session went further, with bills aimed at abolishing core powers long held by cities, including their ability to negotiate and set employment terms with their own contractors, enact and implement local land use laws, and control their own budgets and finances.

From 2011 – 2019, the quantity and reach of new preemption laws has skyrocketed.

But the tide may be turning. The 2019 legislative session also saw an unexpected and unprecedented number of bills filed to repeal state preemption laws and return legal authority for local decision-making in several states. Bills to repeal state preemption of local minimum wage laws, rent control, tobacco tax, oil and gas well regulation, plastic bag bans and broadband were introduced in legislatures across the country. Earlier this year, Colorado became the first state to legislatively repeal minimum wage preemption, countering a decade-long trend of state overreach. Also, in 2019, cross-issue coalitions working at the grassroots succeeded in killing or weakening preemption bills and more state and local lawmakers pushed back on state interference and became public champions of local democracy. This end-of-the 2019 session report, a joint product of the Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) and the State Innovation Exchange (SiX), is not an encyclopedic scan of every state preemption bill passed in 2019. It is, instead, an illustrative look at the preemption trends observed this session.

Download the full report to read more.

VIDEO: SiX's Work to Resist and Rebuild in the States

We marched. Now what?

In states across the country, SiX is already on the front lines of the fight to protect the progress made over the last eight years. But we need your help. This video explains what SiX is doing and why it matters.

Want to help us spread the word? Share this video with your friends, family, and neighbors. And consider making a donation to keep SiX's work going in every corner of the country.

Thanks for all that you do.

-Nick

In Latest Washington Post Column, The Nation Editor Katrina vanden Heuvel Calls on Progressives to Take Fight to States, Highlights SiX’s Work

In her latest column for the Washington Post, Katrina vanden Heuvel – editor and publisher of The Nation – called on progressives to take their fight to the states, with a Trump presidency looming.

“A state-based strategy also represents the best and perhaps only opportunity to advance progressive policy goals in the near term,” vanden Heuvel wrote. “Over the past eight years, conservative lawmakers in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Kansas and elsewhere have demonstrated that state policies can have an outsized impact – for better or worse – regardless of what the federal government does. At the same time, despite gridlock in Congress, states with Democratic legislative majorities have made significant strides on progressive issues including the minimum wage, equal pay and paid sick leave.”

The column also highlighted SiX’s work in the states and included a brief comment from our Executive Director, Nick Rathod, who said: “If you get out of D.C. and actually listen to people, establish policies that respond to local needs, and build narratives around what that means and why it matters, people will understand that government can actually be a force for good, and that progressive policies are more aligned with the needs of working and middle-class families of all races, religions, and cultures.”

Click here to read the full column.

SiX Releases 2016 End-of-Session Legislative Report

As we look back at 2016 legislative activity in statehouses across the country, and as partisan gridlock in Washington keeps Congress at a standstill, it’s clear the most important policy fights have shifted to the states. This year, progressives and conservatives continued to battle at the state level over laws that will impact our lives and our communities for years to come – and the contrast could not be clearer.

SiX’s 2016 End-of-Session Report examines some of the best – and worst – state policies from this year’s legislative sessions. It underscores the consequences of conservatives possessing disproportionate power in the states, where the corporate-backed right has quietly invested its resources for years and has the numbers to show for it:

Conservatives control nearly 70 percent of state legislative chambers nationwide.
Conservatives have full legislative control in 23 states, versus only seven for progressives.
Republicans hold 31 governorships, compared to 18 Democrats and one independent.
In the last eight years, progressives have lost 11 governorships, 910 legislative seats, and majorities in 30 state legislative chambers.

With this pervasive control at the state level, in 2016, conservative legislators continued their full-scale assault on America’s middle class, combined with efforts to roll back progress on everything from criminal justice reform and voting rights to LGBTQ equality and women’s health. At the same time – and as our report details – progressive legislators fought back with bills aimed at ensuring equal pay for women, expanding paid sick leave, increasing the minimum wage, investing in clean energy, and modernizing our election systems.

While it is by no means exhaustive, this report aggregates legislative activity from all 50 states across nine key issue areas. Core highlights can be found below.

Economic Issues

Progressive Vision: In 2016, progressives fought for a more secure middle class – increasing the minimum wage and state earned income tax credits (EITCs) and passing anti-wage theft legislation. Minimum wage increases became law in California (SB 3) and Oregon (SB 1532). In New York, the governor signed legislation that included a raise to the minimum wage on a gradual basis. And Illinois legislators passed a bill (SB 2931) that would raise the wage of home healthcare workers to $15.

Conservative Agenda: Conservatives continued their attack on working families, with laws making it easier for corporations to lay off workers and keep wages low – all while pushing for even bigger tax breaks for the wealthy few. Legislators in Mississippi, for example, pushed through a bill (SB 2858) cutting income taxes for corporations. At a cost of $575 million, these giveaways further squeeze education funding, when Mississippi has already drastically slashed funding for K-12 schools and higher education. In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback and conservative legislators responded to the state’s increasingly high levels of families and children in poverty with a law (H Sub for SB 402) that shortens the time limit for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for the third time in five years. In addition to hurting those who need this assistance most, it does virtually nothing to ease the state’s massive budget deficit, which is the result of unsupportable tax cuts enacted in 2012 and 2013.

Earned Sick Days and Paid Family and Medical Leave

Progressive Vision: In 2016, New York became the fourth state with a paid family and medical leave law (SB 6406C – see Page 90, Part SS) on the books. It provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave – double the six weeks allowed in California and New Jersey and triple the four weeks allowed in Rhode Island. Vermont became the fifth state to codify paid sick days into law, joining California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Oregon.

Conservative Agenda: Legislation providing earned sick days was defeated by conservatives in 19 states.

Equal Pay

Progressive Vision: In 2016, progressives in 29 states introduced bills to close the gender pay gap. Four saw equal pay bills actually signed into law: Delaware (HB 314), Maryland (SB 481/HB 1003), Nebraska (LB 83), and Utah (SB 185). Additionally, comprehensive pay equity legislation (SB 2107) is still active in Massachusetts.

Conservative Agenda: Conservatives blocked the majority of equal pay bills introduced this year. Notably, in New Jersey, legislation (SB 992/A2750) passed both chambers with progressive support, but it was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie. And in Oklahoma, legislators made unprecedented progress in advancing an equal pay bill (HB 2929), but it was ultimately denied a final vote before the session ended.

Voting and Elections

Progressive Vision: Vermont (HB 458) and West Virginia (HB 4013) became the third and fourth states to enact automatic voter registration (AVR), which eliminates major barriers to voting. As of the release of this report, AVR legislation in Illinois (SB 250) had passed both chambers, and a ballot initiative in Alaska had secured enough support to be decided by voters in November. If both were to become law, nearly one-fifth of the country’s population would live in states where voter registration was automatic.

Conservative Agenda: In 2016, conservatives proposed, passed, or carried over at least 70 restrictive voting laws in 28 states – which included pushing new photo ID requirements, cutting back on early voting, and trying to eliminate same-day registration.

Reproductive Rights

Progressive Vision: In 2016, progressives continued to push for expanded birth control coverage and increased access to contraception. Legislators in Colorado restored funding to a program that provides access to long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) for low-income and uninsured women; this program reduced teen pregnancy and abortions by 48% between 2009 and 2014. In Vermont, the governor signed a bill (HB 620) that substantially expands access to birth control by requiring that health insurance plans provide contraception at no cost, in addition to increasing LARC coverage. Under legislation (SB 848/HB 1005) signed into law in Maryland, insurers are now required to cover contraception to the same extent that they cover other medication. And in Hawaii, a new law (SB 2319) requires insurers to cover 12 months of contraception rather than monthly or periodic coverage.

Conservative Agenda: As part of an ongoing assault on reproductive rights at the state level, conservatives tried to pass hundreds of restrictions this year that would eliminate access to safe and legal abortions and threaten women’s health. The last five years alone account for a quarter of all abortion restrictions enacted since Roe v. Wade.

Education

Progressive Vision: In addition to taking a new and holistic approach to education – one that recognizes the importance of communities as stakeholders and puts local educators and parents at the heart of the decision-making process – progressive legislators fought throughout 2016 to reduce the burden of student loan debt. This effort included bills advancing in Maryland (HB 1079), Rhode Island (SB 2453), and Michigan (HB 5583, HB 5584, HB 5585).

Conservative Agenda: Conservatives slashed K-12 and higher education budgets in Illinois, Kentucky, Arizona, Tennessee, Mississippi, Wyoming, and Kansas, among other states. They also expanded the scope and funding of charter, voucher, and other school privatization strategies in ten states: Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Washington, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Arizona.

Climate Change

Progressive Vision: In addition to 20 states moving forward with clean energy policies that will meet the target carbon pollution reduction goals set in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, progressive legislators are advancing bills to expand the use of renewable energy. In Maryland, the governor signed legislation (SB 323) that expanded greenhouse gas reduction goals in the state.

Conservative Agenda: Conservative legislators – backed by the oil, gas, and fossil fuel industries – have been passing legislation to block or delay implementation of the Clean Power Plan (CPP) in states like Arizona, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Conservatives are also working in the states to repeal or weaken renewable portfolio standards and to attach fees to net metering.

Other Issue Highlights

Conservative Preemption of Local Control: A dangerous trend in the states this year was the issue of preempting local control, as conservatives in state capitols went to great lengths to block localities from making their own policy decisions. This hypocritical effort is in direct opposition to the supposed conservative principles of local control and resistance to so-called “big government.” Conservatives have successfully preempted local laws on issues like wages and benefits – in Alabama, for example, the governor signed a bill (HB 174) that preempts all local laws dealing with collective bargaining, increasing wages, and allowing for leave or other employment benefits. Idaho approved a law (HB 463) banning localities from increasing wages, while Arizona legislators passed two separate bills stifling local control of benefits (HB 2579) and work schedules (HB 2191). Arizona conservatives even took the additional step of pushing through legislation (SB 1487) that strips localities of state-shared revenue for not complying.

LGBTQ Equality: Even though the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2015 extended marriage equality to all 50 states, fully inclusive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people still do not exist in the majority of these states. This year, progressive legislators fought to close that gap and prevent continued discrimination against the LGBTQ community – introducing more than 60 pro-equality bills in more than 20 states. Meanwhile, conservative legislators introduced more than 150 anti-LGBTQ bills in more than 30 states. Perhaps the most controversial example was North Carolina’s anti-transgender “bathroom law” (HB 2), which has sparked nationwide outcry.

Immigration: In 2016, progressive legislators in several states across the country worked to advance bills aimed at protecting immigrant residents, keeping families united, and expanding access to government services, education, and job opportunities. Conservatives, on the other hand, introduced dozens of anti-refugee bills in states like South Carolina (SB 997), Tennessee (SJR 467), and Arizona (HB 2370). They also pushed legislation in more than 20 states attacking so-called “sanctuary cities,” which aim to protect the rights of all of their residents and keep families from being torn apart. These bills would force local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration agencies, while also encouraging racial profiling and further alienating immigrant communities from local law enforcement and government agencies.