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Issues We Support
LWV members can get contact information for issue chairs from the Handbook and Directory. Others can contact the issue chairs and coordinators through the state office at lwvtexas@lwvtexas.org.
This is a list of the LWV-TX 83rd Legislative Session Program Issues (2013), followed by their Issue Chairs and a brief description.
Government
Coordinator: Julie Lowenberg, LWV-Dallas
Action: To achieve an efficient, effective, and responsive state governmental system through constitutional revision and legislative action which would include:
- Campaign Finance Reform - Stewart Snider, LWV-Austin Area
- Support fair campaign finance laws to reduce the perceived influence of large contributions to candidates and office holders.
- Election Laws and Voting Rights - Linda Krefting, LWV-Austin Area
- Support election laws that facilitate citizen participation and voter convenience as well as monitor all legislation relating to HAVA.
- Financing State Government - Open, LWV-Austin Area
- Promote adequate, fair funding for major state responsibilities such as public education and transportation.
- Judicial Selection - Open, LWV-TX
- Support the appointment/retention method and/or nonpartisan election of the judiciary.
- Open Government - Linda Pavlik, LWV-Tarrant County
- Promote transparency and public participation in government.
- Public Policy on Reproductive Choice/Women's Health - Julie Lowenberg, LWV-Dallas
- Promote and protect women's access to health care, including all aspects of reproductive health.
- Public School Funding, Testing and Accountability - Janet Imhoff, LWV-TX
- Promote adequate state funding for public schools, and changes in the state's accountability rating system to make it more fair and less punitive.
- Redistricting - SBOE - Peggy Hill, LWV-Houston Area
- Support transparency and public input in the 2013 redistricting process.
- State and Local Relations - Open, LWV-TX
- Support increased county authority in order to better manage growth in urbanizing areas.
- Texas Constitutional Revision - Sandy Ashby, LWV-Montgomery County
- Support the revision of the State Constitution to make it a framework of basic law.
Administration of Justice
Coordinator: Janet Imhoff, LWV-Plano/Collin County
Action: To achieve an equitable system of criminal justice in Texas for adults and juveniles which would include:
- Capital Punishment - Susybelle Gosslee, LWV-Dallas
- Promote a moratorium on the death penalty while an official study is conducted. Support the option of life sentence without parole in capital cases.
- Criminal Justice - Erica Gammill, LWV-Austin Area
- Support a professional parole and probation staff and work to decrease their caseload. Provide a secure prison environment with maximum education opportunities.
- Drug Laws and Policies - Elaine Talarski, LWV-San Antonio
- Support treatment programs for drug abuse and addiction as an alternative to incarceration.
- Immigration - Janet Monteros, LWV-El Paso
- Support state services for undocumented immigrants, especially in the area of education and healthcare. Monitor any attempt to curb civil rights of immigrants.
- Juvenile Justice - Erica Gammill, LWV-Austin Area
- Support and fund substance abuse treatment, mental health needs, and education for youth at risk and for those incarcerated.
Social Policy and Human Resources
Coordinator: TBD
Action: To achieve equal rights for all; to combat discrimination and poverty; and to provide equal access to housing, employment, quality education, and health care in Texas which would include:
- Child Abuse and Neglect - Joyce Robinson, LWV-Sherman/Grayson County
- Support the development and implementation of adequate legislation, policies, services, and programs to protect children from abuse and neglect.
- Child Health Care - Susan Majors, LWV-Richardson
- Ensure that state budget cuts do not undermine children's access to health care. Improve enrollment and retention for CHIP and Children's Medicaid and maintain effective delivery systems for both. Preserve Texas' public health safety net.
- Early Childhood - Marlene Lobberecht, LWV-Houston Area
- Support early childhood education professional development. Expand access to high quality pre-kindergarten. Improve safe care for infants and toddlers.
- Equal Opportunity/Income Assistance - Open, LWV-TX
- Support policies that improve well-being for families in poverty, programs that provide job training for living wage jobs, and equal education opportunities from preschool to higher education.
- Health Care for the Elderly - Lynda Ender, LWV-Dallas
- Support increased funding to provide adequate programs to serve the elderly.
- Health Care For Those of Lesser Means - Lynda Ender, LWV-Dallas
- Support providing basic health care services for those who are unable to pay. Basic services include emergency care, primary care, preventive care, care for catastrophic illness, nutrition, substance abuse treatment, and health education.
- Services for Those with Behavioral Health Needs - Linda Camin, LWV-Dallas
- Maintain and increase funding for services to persons with serious mental illness, and include post-crisis and crisis prevention community care.
Natural Resources
Coordinator: TBD
Action: To achieve conservation, protection, and judicious development of the state's natural resources which would include:
- Air Quality - Laura Blackburn, LWV-Houston Area
- Support air quality and climate change legislation.
- Energy - Penny Miller, LWV-Wichita Falls
- Promote incentives for renewable and clean energy sources and energy conservation. Monitor the building of coal fired plants and nuclear power plants. Promote energy policy to reduce global warming.
- Hazardous Waste - Susybelle Gosslee, LWV-Dallas
- Support safe transportation handling and disposal of radioactive materials. Support legislation promoting recycling efforts, in particular for electronic waste.
- Land Use - Open, LWV-TX
- Increase county authority to regulate land development. Support full funding for Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
- Transportation - Edie Jones, LWV-Tarrant County
- Increase funding for public roads, mass transit, and light rail.
- Water - Mary Vogelson, LWV-Dallas
- Support funding for safe and adequate water supplies, using sound ecological/economic strategies that emphasize conservation. Support enhanced protection for environmental flows; Texas rivers, bays and estuaries.