Category: Action Alerts

Support S677 for Racial Justice in the Criminal Justice System

by UU FA Office

Racial Disparity in New Jersey Criminal Justice SystemChallenge Racial Disparity in the NJ Criminal Justice System!  Support Senate Bill 677!

A bill will be coming up for vote in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee on Monday that would require a racial and ethnic impact statement for certain bills and regulations affecting sentencing. We are asking our supporters to write the committee members and urge them to move this important racial and criminal justice measure to the floor for a vote.

Racial disparities in the justice system have been shown to harm not only individuals in the system, but also their families and communities. A recent ACLU report found that black and Hispanic people, particularly men, were between two and 10 times more likely to be arrested for petty crimes than white offenders in four New Jersey cities..

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ACLU-NJ’s executive director, Udi Ofer, says “Whether the cities were large or small, or in north, central or southern New Jersey, the data revealed a clear pattern of people of color bearing the brunt of police practices.”

New Jersey’s prison population has grown from 6,087 in 1980 to 21,590 in 2014. In New Jersey, African Americans represent 12.9% in the general population yet African Americans make up over 60% of New Jersey’s prison population.

S677 would challenge racial disparity in targeted ways:

  • S677 will govern a process for racial impact statements, a tool for lawmakers to evaluate the potential disparities of proposed legislation on persons of color prior to adoption and implementation.  Analogous to environmental impact statements, they assist legislators in detecting unforeseen policy ramifications before the change is adopted, rather than once they have been implemented;
  • S677 would require the racial and ethnic impact statement to include a statistical analysis of how the change in policy would affect racial and ethnic minorities;
  • S677 would amend public distribution for notices to appear in the Register for adoption, amendment, or repeal of any rule to include a racial impact statement.

In recent years other states – Connecticut, Iowa, and Oregon — have adopted similar legislation.
The passage of Senate Bill 677 is a step in the right direction to challenge racial disparity in New Jersey.

Resources

‘Extreme’ racial disparity in local N.J. arrests, ACLU report finds

The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons

ACTION ALERT: Override Pay Equity Veto!

by UU FA Office

 

wage gap women of colorOn March 26 we sent an Action Alert out, asking our supporters to write Governor Christie and ask for him to sign bill S992/A2750, the Pay Equity Act. You responded with overwhelming supporting, make this the most successful online advocacy piece UULMNJ has issued!

Unfortunately for the families of New Jersey, a week ago Governor Christie made national headlines (see articles linked below) when he conditionally vetoed the Pay Equity Act which passed with strong support in both houses – with a 28-4 vote in the Senate and 54-14-6 in the Assembly- in March. The Governor called the bill “nonsensical and makes New Jersey very business unfriendly. The former presidential candidate also worries that the Pay Equity Act “would make New Jersey a liberal outlier.”

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We are asking you to now write your local legislators to urge them to stand with women and families by pledging their support for an override of Governor Christie’s veto.

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Laurice Grae-Hauck is the Outreach Coordinator of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ.

ACTION ALERT: Recovery Assistance for Drug Offenders

by UU FA Office

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In December we asked you to write your legislators to urge their vote in favor of S2806, removing restrictions on general assistance for convicted drug offenders. Thanks to yUUr voices the bill (now S601/A889) has passed both houses! Passage of this bill will repeal this unfair drug war policy that prevents people from making needed changes in their lives.

The bill now heads to Governor Christie’s desk to be signed into law. He has previously shown support for recovery measures, telling an audience in New Hampshire “Everybody in life makes mistakes and we need to give people a second chance.” Tell Governor Christie to sign this bill and provide a second chance to all New Jerseyans.

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The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ provided testimony in support of this legislation before the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee in December. You may read the testimony below.

Providing Testimony in Support of S2806

Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey In Support of S2806

Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

December 10, 2015

 

Thank you for the opportunity to address this Committee in support of S2806.  My name is Deb Ellis and I am testifying on behalf of Rev. Craig Hirshberg, Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey (UULMNJ), who unfortunately could not be here today. I represent Unitarian Universalist congregations throughout the State of New Jersey.  As people of faith, we believe that the exclusion of people with drug convictions from the opportunity to participate in Work First New Jersey General Assistance program is a violation of a just and democratic society. The exclusions conflicts with basic Unitarian Universalist moral values including: the inherent worth and dignity of every person; justice and equity; and compassion in human relations.

As Unitarian Universalists, the first principle of our faith is our belief that each individual has inherent worth and dignity. “Inherent” means that the worth of an individual does not have to be earned – it is present in each of us. As a consequence, we strongly believe that the General Assistance exclusion should be repealed because individuals who have been convicted of drug offenses have the same worth and dignity as all other people and thus should have the same opportunity to become productive citizens once they have repaid their debt to society. Under current law, people are disqualified from receiving General Assistance if they have been convicted of distributing even small amounts of marijuana. When we make mistakes, each of us deserves a second chance and the opportunity to rebuild our lives through participation in work programs like Work First New Jersey.

Second, we support S2806 because justice and equity are central to our Unitarian Universalist faith. Our belief that the “Beloved Community” must be realized through human effort requires our attention to how we share the wealth of our planet. We believe that there is a societal obligation to ensure that all people are able to obtain for themselves and their families the basic material needs of food, shelter, and safety. This Legislature’s action in 1997 to exclude from General Assistance benefits only those individuals who had drug convictions was part of the now discredited War on Drugs which resulted in mass incarceration and deprivation of civil and human rights for millions of U. S. citizens. Moreover, the War on Drugs extremely disproportionately focused on people of color. As people of faith, we believe that in order to have a just society, every part of the War on Drugs must now be remedied. Enacting S2806 is an important step in dismantling the injustices of the War on Drugs.

Our final reason for supporting S2806 is our Unitarian Universalist faith belief in compassion in human relations. As you know, S2806 would enable individuals with drug convictions to be eligible for the extremely low cash benefit of General Assistance (capped at $140 per month or $210 per month for those unable to work). Even though the amount is low, being able to receive General Assistance can literally be the difference between life and death, being sheltered or homeless. This is because recipients who are homeless or might become homeless can also receive Emergency Assistance, which can be used to pay for shelter stays and rental assistance. Without this help, many excluded individuals are forced to live in tent cities, abandoned buildings, or become institutionalized in hospitals or jails.

When the General Assistance exclusion was adopted in 1997, individuals with drug convictions were also excluded from food stamps and medical care. However, the rules for NJ’s Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program programs have been changed so that individuals with drug convictions have access to the life-saving assistance of food and health care. As the winter cold descends and in celebration of the holiday season, isn’t it time to also give these individuals access to shelter and the chance to rebuild their lives by participating in Work First New Jersey? As Unitarian Universalists, we believe so.

For all these reasons, I urge you to support S2806. Thank you for your attention.

ACTION ALERT: Renewable Energy Legislation for Earth Day!

by UU FA Office

In a 2006 Statement of Conscience the Unitarian Universalist Association stated:

“Earth is our home. We are part of this world and its destiny is our own…. As Unitarian Universalists, how can our faith inform our actions to remedy and mitigate global warming/climate change? We declare by this Statement of Conscience that we will not acquiesce to the ongoing degradation and destruction of life that human actions are leaving to our children and grandchildren. We as Unitarian Universalists are called to join with others to halt practices that fuel global warming/climate change, to instigate sustainable alternatives, and to mitigate the impending effects of global warming/climate change with just and ethical responses. As a people of faith, we commit to a renewed reverence for life and respect for the interdependent web of all existence.”

Along with other members of the coalition NJ FREE, the UULMNJ Environmental Task Force has helped to write the Renewable Energy Tranisition Act, or RETA. The bill would require 80% renewable electricity by 2050, with an intermediate requirement of 30% renewable electricity by 2025. It also seeks a requirement that the total electric usage in New Jersey be reduced by 20% by 2025 relative to 2012 usage, and be reduced by 30% by 2050 relative to 2012 usage. The bill passed the senate on March 14 by a vote of 23-15.

take action buttonIs 80% Renewable Electricity by 2050 feasible? This question is already being answered in the real world. Many European countries have already adopted requirements that are as ambitious or even more so. Denmark’s goal is 80% of overall energy by 2050. Germany, on the other hand, has a much lower solar resource than New Jersey, and has adopted a requirement of 80% renewable electricity by 2050 and 30% by 2025. Furthermore, it is well ahead of schedule, achieving 26% renewable electricity in the first half of 2012. Germany’s rapid transition toward renewables and equally rapid phase‐out of nuclear power has not hurt its economy. According to the country’s top economic research institutions, Germany’s “Renewable Energy Transformation” has been a net benefit to the economy, and has created 370,000 new jobs.

RETA (A1759) was referred to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee on January 27, 2016. We are calling for the Chairman, Assemblyman Wayne P. DeAngelo, to move the bill to a vote in honor of Earth Day, which will be celebrated around the globe on Friday, April 22. Please write Chairman DeAngelo and ask him to move this landmark legislation through to a vote in the Assembly.

Watch the Senate bill’s sponsor, Sen. Bob Smith, discuss the legislation with NJTV news.

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ACTION ALERT: Tell Gov. Christie “Women Are Not Worth Less!”

by UU FA Office

Pay Equity (600x302)On March 14 New Jersey took a step in being a leader in gender equality with one of the most comprehensive pay equity bills pending in state legislatures around the nation. S922/A2750, the New Jersey Pay Equity Act, sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg and Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt, will give women formidable tools to combat pay discrimination and remedy an injustice that has gone on for far too long. With a growing number of New Jersey women responsible for supporting their families, pay equity is not only a matter of justice for themselves, but also a matter of economic security for their families.

In New Jersey, women earn 80 cents on the dollar compared to men in the same field, despite national legislation such as the Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2009.  States around the nation are recognizing the persistence of wage discrimination and taking similar legislative approaches and remedies as New Jersey. For women of color the situation is even more dire, with African-American women earning 64 cents, and Latinas only 56 cents, for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.

Both houses have passed this bill with strong bi-partisan support. It now sits on Governor Christie’s desk, awaiting his signature. Email the governor and urge him to set an example for states across the nation because women are not worth less. It only takes a moment to let yUUr voice be heard!

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The New Jersey Pay Equity Act :

–        Requires companies with public contracts to disclose info about the compensation by Sex (and race too) of all employees;

–        Expands the previously established prohibition against paying women less who are in identical jobs as men, to include jobs that are similar or comparable;

–        Establishes triple damages to employers who violate the law and discriminate against women;

·       Allowing employees the right to tell each other what they earn without fear of retribution from employers, prohibits employers from making people sign a contract in which they are sworn not to disclose their compensation to co-workers;

·       Extending the time in which a discrimination lawsuit can be taken (expands the statute of limitations) by making every paycheck an possible offense, thus restarting the clock on statute of limitations every time someone is paid.

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Laurice Grae-Hauck is the Outreach Coordinator of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ.

ACTION ALERT: Support S51 Limiting Solitary Confinement

by UU FA Office

In January, President Obama put major limits on solitary confinement in federal prisons. But New Jersey is still lagging far behind.

The NJ Senate Law and Public Safety Committee will hold a hearing on a bill to restrict solitary confinement this Thursday, March 10.

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This bill, S51, sponsored by NJ Senators Raymond Lesniak and Peter Barnes, III, would dramatically limit when New Jersey subjects people to extreme isolation for long periods of time and create a total ban on the practice for vulnerable populations who suffer most from it.

This bill would:

  • Require facilities to use isolated confinement only as a last resort, when less restrictive treatment would pose too much of a risk;
  • Prohibit isolation for more than 15 consecutive days or 20 days in a 60-day period;
  • Ban isolation for members of vulnerable populations, such as people who have mental illnesses, pregnant women, and people with various disabilities;
  • Require medical clearance and daily evaluations when a prisoner is held in isolation.

Solitary infographic(1)Long-term isolated confinement poses extremely harmful effects on any prisoner, but especially members of vulnerable populations, such as people with mental illnesses, pregnant women, people under 21, and people over 55. It can worsen existing mental illnesses and inflict psychological trauma where it didn’t exist before. Alternatives to isolated confinement have proven to be successful, because they don’t come with the socially destructive side effects that result from psychological torture.

Most prisoners will re-enter society once they’ve served their time. Once they emerge, who do we want those people to be? Most likely your answer does not include someone whose time in isolated confinement has left them more psychologically wounded and socially ill-equipped than before they entered prison or jail.

This bill won’t eliminate isolated confinement if it’s deemed necessary. But it will just put much-needed protections in place to make sure that its use is humane and rare.

Learn more about solitary confinement in New Jersey

ACTION ALERT: Emergency Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities

by UU FA Office

Welcome to the new legislative session!

Advocates from across New Jersey have been working with Senate President Sweeney to respond to the ongoing problems created by the termination of the extended Emergency Assistance program for individuals with disabilities. On January 28, the Anti Poverty Network; Steve Leder, Senior Attorney from the Community Health Law Project; and Staci Berger, President and CEO of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, stood with Senate President Sweeney as he announced his proposed legislation to address this issue and provide a permanent housing solution for the state’s most vulnerable residents.

The proposed legislation will be heard in the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee this Thursday, February 4. We need your help to make sure the bill moves forward:

  1. Please email and/or call members of the Senate committee. You may email individually or send a message to the entire committee.

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Here is a sample message: I’m a voter in New Jersey and I’m calling to urge you to vote in favor of Senate President Sweeney’s Emergency Assistance bill which will ensure that individuals with long-term disabilities are not pushed into homelessness as the result of arbitrary time limits on housing aid. This bill represents an important protection against the devastations of poverty and I hope you will support it. Thank you. 

  1. Come to the committee hearing and show your support for this legislation! The committee meets at 11 am on February 4, in Committee Room 4, First Floor, State House Annex, in Trenton. I will be there to represent the Unitarian Universalist community and hope to see you there.

ACTION ALERT: Ask Gov. Christie to sign S2806/A4913

by UU FA Office

On Monday evening NJ Assembly bill A4913 passed the Assembly by a vote of 46-28. On December 10, the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reported favorably and with committee amendments to expressly require the Commissioner of Human Services to adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the bill’s purposes. UULMNJ provided testimony before the committee. (Read testimony.) This bill passed the NJ Senate on December 17, 2015 by a vote of 26-8. Thanks to the NJ Drug Policy Alliance and our Criminal Justice Reform task force members who  took the time to contact assembly representatives and the Speaker in advance of Monday’s vote. Advocacy is making a difference!

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This bill would remove the eligibility restrictions for receiving general assistance benefits under the Work First New Jersey program for persons who have been convicted of an offense involving the use, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.  Under S2806/A4913, people convicted of offenses involving controlled dangerous substances would be subject to the same eligibility requirements to receive general assistance benefits as apply to the general population, with no additional requirements or restrictions.

Currently, persons convicted of offenses involving the use, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance are ineligible for general assistance benefits, except that a person whose conviction involves possession or use may become eligible for benefits if the person enrolls in or completes a licensed residential drug treatment program.  For persons enrolled in a treatment program, this exception is contingent on continued participation in the program and periodic drug screenings demonstrating the person has not used any controlled dangerous substance.  There is currently no exception to the general assistance eligibility restriction for persons convicted of offenses involving distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.

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The bill now awaits Governor Christie’s signature. With his signature we can roll back this lifetime punishment and give everyone the second chance they deserve to rebuild their lives and become productive citizens! Call his office (609-292-6000) or email today and ask him to sign this important piece of legislation for a stronger New Jersey.

 

ACTION ALERT: Bills for Criminal Justice, Immigration Reform, Environmental Protection and Afford Housing!

by UU FA Office

Dear Friends,

With the holidays quickly approaching there is a race to pass important bills before the current legislative session expires. Your action is needed to ensure that legislation UU task forces have worked on this year don’t expire along with the session. Bills will be coming up for a vote very soon, some tomorrow, from many of our task forces. Contact your elected representatives today!

State Senate President Steve Sweeney will post S2444, the Renewable Energy Transition Act (RETA) for a floor vote on Thursday, December 17. S2444 is the Renewable Energy Transition Act (RETA).  As amended by the Senate environment and energy committee, RETA establishes new “Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS).  These require each electric power supplier to annually increase the percentage of renewable energy — notably solar electric — within the mix of power being produced and sold by year 2050 80% of electric energy consumed in the state is provided by renewable energy sources.  Write your senator for support.

S2806 is up for a Senate vote this Thursday, Dec. 17. This bill removes the ban on NJ General Assistance grants to former drug offenders. UULMNJ provided testimony in support of this bill on December 10. Read the testimony here then write your senator and ask them to support S2806.

 

S1771/A4576 requires the lowest possible cost for inmate telephone calls from all State and county correctional facilities and immigrant detention centers.  This reforms the price gouging of a captive clientele, often far from family and with no recourse.  This bill is due for a vote in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Monday, December 21 before it can reach the Senate floor. Ask your senator to support this bill.

S1279/A2325 makes a FY 2016 supplemental Grants-in-Aid appropriation of $10,000,000 to the Department of Community Affairs. The Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund provides funding to address lead-based paint in New Jersey in a comprehensive and focused manner. Ask your representatives to protect New Jersey’s children from dangerous lead poisoning.

 

Another bill that may see action is S2399/A3989, requiring every NJ State, county and municipal law enforcement officer to wear a body camera.  This important bill has been buried under the radar for well over a year and is now up for a vote in the Senate Law & Public Safety Committee on Jan. 7.  We believe this bill is insufficient as stands and are in conversation with Senator Ray Lesniak to make revisions. We will keep you updated as there is progress.

Thank you for your continued dedication to ensuring that the voice of Unitarian Universalism is heard in New Jersey.

In Faith,

Rev. Craig Hirshberg

Executive Director, UULMNJ

ACTION ALERT: Over-ride Veto of S2360/A359

by UU FA Office

Earlier this year, a common sense gun violence prevention bill passed the Assembly by a 74-0 vote (with six lawmakers not voting on the bill) and it cleared the Senate by a 38-0 (with two senators not voting).  S2360/A359 would require local law enforcement officers to be alerted when people who have been committed to a psychiatric facility ask a judge to expunge the record of treatment from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System so they may buy a firearm.  We have seen too many mass shootings in this country perpetrated by people with mental health issues and easy access to firearms.

Unfortunately for the people of New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie, who is in the midst of a presidential campaign, vetoed this bill on August 10 of this year. Our governor is missing out on the opportunity to protect New Jerseyans from gun violence, having also vetoed a bill that would take guns out of the hands of dangerous domestic abusers.  Lawmakers have yet to overturn a Christie veto since the governor took office in 2010.

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No senator voted against this bipartisan bill in March, but only two GOP senators — Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) and Christopher Connors (R-Ocean) — voted to override fellow Republican Christie in a previous vote to over-ride in September.  Two senators — Theresa Ruiz (D-Essex) and Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) — were absent. Two other senators, Christopher Bateman (R-Somerset) and Anthony R. Bucco (R-Morris) did not vote. The effort fell two votes shy, with a 25-11 vote. Twenty-seven votes are needed to override a veto in the 40-member Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, who hold 24 seats.

Senate President  Stephen Sweeney vowed to get the veto over-ride passed, telling the senate “I am committing to you right now: be prepared to vote on this for many sessions.” He is holding to his word as another vote to over-ride Governor Christie’s veto has been set for this Thursday. A yes vote on this could go a long way to protecting children from mass and random shootings.

The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of NJ is committed to passing common sense gun laws that would protect the people of our state and so we ask you to e-mail or call your legislators today and urge them to VOTE YES on this override, particularly if you are represented by a Republican. The time to act is NOW.

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