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Issues We Support
This section is dedicated to meet the needs of the press in regards to the League of Women Voters of Texas. Resources are listed at both sides of the page as well as Press Releases and Action Alerts below.
This is a list of the LWV-TX 81st Legislative Session Program Issues (2009), followed by their Issue Chairs and a brief description. Please click on the issue for more information.
Government
Action: To achieve an efficient, effective, and responsive state governmental system through constitutional revision and legislative action which would include:
- Constitutional Revision - Sandy Ashby, The Woodlands
- Support the revision of the State Constitution to make it a framework of basic law. The present Constitution, now 133 years old and with over 450 amendments, no longer serves the needs of good government.
- Election Laws and Voting Rights - Barbara Weinstein, Dallas
- Support election laws that facilitate citizen participation and voter convenience as well as monitor all legislation relating to HAVA.
- Financing State Government - Bonnie Leitch, New Braunfels
- Promote adequate, fair funding for major state responsibilities like public education and transportation.
- Judicial Selection - Maxine Barkan, Austin
- Support the appointment/retention method and/or nonpartisan election of the judiciary.
- Political Campaign Process - Maxine Barkan, Austin
- Support fair campaign finance laws to reduce the perceived influence of large contributions to candidates and office holders.
- Public School Testing and Accountability - Nan Clayton, Austin
- 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 - Elaine Talarski, San Antonio
- Support an independent redistricting commission.
- State and Local Relations - Karen Rankin, Austin
- Support increased county authority in order to better manage growth in urbanizing areas.
- Public Policy on Reproductive Choice/Women's Health - Julie Lowenberg, Dallas
- Promote and protect women's access to health care, including all aspects of reproductive health.
Administration of Justice
Action: To achieve an equitable system of criminal justice in Texas for adults and juveniles which would include:
- Capital Punishment - Susybelle Gosslee, Dallas
- Promote a moratorium on the death penalty. Support the option of life sentence without parole in capital cases.
- Criminal Justice - Susan Smith, Amarillo
- 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, San Antonio
- Support treatment programs for drug abuse and addiction as alternative to incarceration.
- Juvenile Justice - ,
- Support and fund substance abuse treatment, mental health needs, and education for youth at risk and for those incarcerated.
Social Policy and Human Resources
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:
- Health Care For Those of Lesser Means - Lynda Ender, 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.
- Child Abuse and Neglect - Carol Pino, Wimberley
- Support the development and implementation of adequate legislation, policies, services, and programs to protect children from abuse and neglect.
- Early Childhood - Marlene Lobberecht, Houston
- Support early childhood education professional development. Expand access to high quality pre-kindergarten. Improve safe care for infants and toddlers.
- Child Health - Susan Majors, Richardson
- Decrease the number of uninsured children with more efficient enrollment for CHIP and Children's Medicaid. Support 12 months continuous eligibility for Children's Medicaid. Expand CHIP to families with greater assets.
- Equal Opportunity/Income Assistance - Mildred Pope, Dallas
- 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 System, Older Texans - Maria Johnson, Austin
- Support increased funding to provide adequate programs to serve the elderly.
- Immigration - Millie Whittington, Houston
- Support state services for undocumented immigrants, especially in the area of education and healthcare. Monitor any attempt to curb civil rights of immigrants.
- Services, Seriously Mentally Ill - Molly Van Ort, Dallas
- Maintain and increase funding for services to persons with serious mental illness, and include post-crisis and crisis prevention community care.
Natural Resources
Action: To achieve conservation, protection, and judicious development of the state's natural resources which would include:
- Air Quality - Laura Blackburn, Houston
- Support air quality and climate change legislation.
- Energy - Penny Miller, 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, Dallas
- Support safe transportation handling and disposal of radioactive materials. Support legislation promoting recycling efforts, in particular for electronic waste.
- Land Use - Karen Haschke, Austin
- Increase county authority to regulate land development. Support full funding for Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept.
- Transportation - Edie Jones, Fort Worth
- Increase funding for public roads, mass transit, and light rail.
- Water - Mary Vogelson, 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.