UU FaithAction NJ has determined their Legislative and Educational Priorities for 2019/2020 based on the annual Issues Conference held October 19, 2020. Congregants from throughout New Jersey convened at the Central Unitarian Church in Paramus to discuss social justice issues and vote on what legislation UU FaithAction would prioritize. They re broken down based on Task Force.
Legislative and Educational Priorities 2019/2020
| CRIMINAL JUSTICE |
- Restore right-to-vote to those on parole, probation, and those still incarcerated; hold one event on congregational level
- Dignity for Primary Caretakers Act, for incarcerated women
- Reform parole system to include ways for certain offenders to earn their way to earlier parole
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| ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE |
- Mandatory emissions reductions in EJ communities, including transition to electric buses and alternate fuel trucks
- Maintain adequate water infrastructure – no lead in NJ water
- Energy Master Plan for Busy People training
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| GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION |
- Continue to support Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO)
- Work with NJ legislators to strengthen Safe Storage of Guns Bill
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| IMMIGRATION JUSTICE |
- Drivers licenses for undocumented. We expect this to be considered and presumably enacted in the lame-duck session.
- Increased funding for legal defense for detainees in NJ facilities. This is connected with the budget process.
- Continue co-hosting Immigration training with First Friends.
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| REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE |
- Access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion care by working with coalitions who are introducing legislation in NJ
- Dignity for incarcerated Primary Caregivers Act, a bundle of bills that incorporate giving parents time with their children, bans the use of shackles for pregnant women and provide appropriate mental health and substance abuse care
- Form a coalition to bundle bills related to preventing & supporting sexual assault survivors including reporting and investigating sexual assault inside the prisons.
- Strengthen maternal health and reduce maternal mortality including supporting the Maternal Mortality Review Commission
- Monitor the implementation of the address confidentiality law ( PL 2019.c175) by review the proposed regulations with assistance from Legal Advocacy, and encourage comments.
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