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- The Gov Hub Newsletter: March 18, 2024
The Gov Hub Newsletter: March 18, 2024
Gov Hub
March 18, 2024
Welcome to The Gov Hub Newsletter by Girl and the Gov®. This weekly pop of politics is designed to share action items, resources, & quick links to civic engagement tools & topics. Find a typo? Congrats, today is your lucky day.
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THE ACTION ITEMS
Make change from your phone
ACTION 1 – OUTDOOR ACCESS & TRANSPORTATION
The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to support the Transit to Trails Act.
The Action: Hit send on this note.
The Background: Access to nature is incredibly important, but not everyone has it in their neighborhoods. Cue the Transit to Trails Act, which would improve access to outdoor spaces. If passed, the Department of Transportation would be directed to create the Transit to Trails Grant program, which would: “award grants to entities (states, local governments, & orgs) for projects that increase transportation access and mobility to public lands, waters, parkland, monuments, or recreational opportunities for critically underserved communities.”
ACTION 2 – GUN REFORM
The Ask: Tell your [federal] reps to support the Federal Firearm Licensee Act [FFLA].
The Action: Hit send on this note.
The Background: Not to be confused with Lisa Hochstein’s FAFO saying, FFLA is a bill designed to curb gun violence. The bill, if passed, would require:
An individual to complete gun safety training [written test & hands-on training].
AGs to conduct a background check of anyone buying a gun.
The license could be revoked if it’s determined that a person poses a danger to themselves or to others. In addition, a license would expire every five years, requiring gun owners to get re-licensed [fresh training & background check].
ACTION 3 – TOXIC HERBICIDE
The Ask: Tell the EPA to ban toxic herbicide Paraquat.
The Action: Hit send on this note.
The Background: The toxic herbicide Paraquat has a rep so bad it’s banned in 50 countries. However, in the US, it’s still being used, despite being linked to an increased risk in developing Parkinson’s. Let’s kick this herbicide to the curb.
Looking for more action items? Check our library of past Gov Hub’s.
FULL SEND…TO A FRIEND
Just about guaranteed to make it to the group chat
In ‘we wish we were making this up but we’re not’ news: GOP AZ State Senator Sonny Borrelli said that ‘women wouldn’t need contraceptives if they weren’t so promiscuous” and direct quote as captured by the AZ Mirror – “Like I said, Bayer Company invented aspirin. Put it between your knees.” His words come in response to the state GOP blocking a bill that would’ve protected access to contraceptives.
An open seat on the Ohio State Supreme Court is on the ballot this year – and there’s a huge opportunity to flip the lean of the court liberal. So, who are the Dem candidates facing each other in Tuesday’s primary? It’s Lisa Forbes and Judge Terri Jamison. Then, it’s off to the races for that seat in the GE and to defend two incumbent seats on the bench.
There’s a Christian conservative dad that filed a lawsuit taking aim at a Title IX program, making the argument that that “his daughters should never be offered contraception.” The ultra-conservative Fifth Circuit Court in TX, which took up the case, awarded him a W [and repro rights an L], ruling that “parents have the right to consent to their children’s contraceptive usage at federally-funded facilities.” This ruling comes from the same judge that’s trying to get Mifi’s approval from the FDA revoked. FYI - they’re coming for birth control.
SPRING BREAK - POLITICS EDITION
The White House x SXSW
The GATG gals are back with a debrief episode on both trips – DC and Austin. It’s politics [like visiting Reproductive Freedom For All’s HQ and the FAS to talk about the nuclear football], gossip, takeaways [a compliment from Amelie Zilber], and a crush on a hot secret service guy. It’s truly a grab bag with discoveries you might not have seen coming, or at least we didn’t. An exciting podcast announcement regarding our upcoming format change is also included - WHICH IS GOING TO BE SO FUN, GET REAAAAADY. Tune in on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and of course, give it a watch on YouTube.
HGW LISTENS
Hit play on these pods too
This episode of the OFF TOPIC, ON POLITICS Podcast looks at George Santos’s run for Congress 2.0 in a new-for-him district.
Biden and Anderson Cooper sat down and discussed their journeys with grief on this episode All There Is with Anderson Cooper.
This episode of the 538 Podcast looks at whether campaign stops matter or not in the small and grand scheme of things.
GOOD NEWS BEARS
A positive political win [yes, those do exist]
MA GOV. HEALEY PROPOSES PARDONS FOR MISDEMEANOR MARIJUANA POSSESSION CONVICTIONS: Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced a plan to issue pardons for those convicted of misdemeanor marijuana charges in the state. If the pardons are approved – which they need to be by the Governor’s Council – the pardons will be automatic and apply to all adult MA state court misdemeanor convictions before March 13, 2024 for what qualifies as a possession of a “Class D substance.” The impact of the potential pardons – in a state where weed has been legalized for years – is expected to break down barriers to jobs, housing, and other opportunities often faced by those with convictions on their records. The move comes after a 2022 pardon for federal convictions for simple marijuana possession from the Biden Administration that came hand-in-hand with a call to governors to follow their lead, and do the same for state-level convictions.
BOOKMARK IT
Don’t lose the link, bookmark it
NEW – IRS WITH THAT DIRECT FILE TOOL: For besties in 12 states — CA, MA, NH, TN, TX, WY, NY, FL, SD, AZ, WS, NV — the IRS is piloting a free direct file tool for tax szn that’s designed to make doing your taxes cost-free and a breeze. To see if you're eligible to use the tool, take the quick quiz here.
BACK ON OUR BILLSH*T
Bills, bills, bills
FEDERAL: The Right to Vote Act has made its debut, and if passed, would guarantee voting rights for all American citizens. Specifically, it would enable any citizen to sue a state or local government for restricting voting access or interfering with it in any way. With some states making it their passion project to suppress the vote – including these 14 that passed such laws in ‘23 – the Right to Vote Act, if passed, would aim to counter those in existence and those that the GOP is eager to pass.
CONNECTICUT: A bill with the goal of protecting and bolstering local journalism has made its way back to the table in CT. The bill, if passed, would require that at least 50% of CT’s Department of Administrative Services’ “annual budget for print and digital advertising services for state agencies must be contracts with media outlets,” according to analysis from the CT Examiner. The media outlets that would be selected would have to be owned by an in-state entity, harping on the local journalism piece.
WAIT, WAIT UPDATE ME
ICYMI, a political ongoing of note
VP HARRIS BECOMES 1ST VP TO VISIT AN ABORTION CLINIC: Kim Kardashian broke the internet, and according to USA Today, VP Kamala Harris broke politics, by becoming the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic in MN late last week. A part of the Vice President’s Reproductive Freedoms Tour, the visit aimed to squarely show where the Administration stands on reproductive rights and freedoms – and in this moment at the mic, aimed to normalize discussing women’s health in full, by talking about the realities of having a uterus in the USA.
TRUMP WARNS OF A ‘BLOOD BATH’ IF HE DOESN’T WIN: The dictator wannabe who recently sung the praises of Hitler and former president, Trump, dropped more horror show verbiage [& intentions] while campaigning for a Senate candidate in Ohio [Bernie Moreno]. In discussing if he [Trump] were to lose the general election in November, he said verbatim, “If I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that's going to be the least of it. It's going to be a bloodbath for the country." And to that end, it’s worth noting that former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse Trump, and these former friends of his have turned foes, which leads us to this well-pointed prompt to ask your conservative relative.
RFK JR CONSIDERS SANDY HOOK CONSPIRACY THEORIST, QB AARON RODGERS FOR VP: Independent candidate for president and conspiracy theory fan boy, RFK Jr.’s short-list for a VP running mate made headlines after it was revealed that fellow conspiracy theory lover boy Aaron Rodgers was on it. Aaron Rodgers has not just gotten the heat for his COVID vaccine dance around, but also for his Sandy Hook inside job conspiracy, which he now denies. He shares a spot on the maybe list with former MN Governor Jesse Ventura. Who makes the final cut will be announced by the RFK Jr. campaign on March 26, 2024. In the meantime, we recommend perusing RFK Jr’s campaign website, which has no mention of abortion or repro rights…
TRUMP COURT CASE[S] UPDATES: Realistically, we could make this entire newsletter about this democracy destructor, but we want you [and ourselves] to not pull all of our hair out by the end of it. So, here are the top line Trump court case updates:
Trump’s trial in NY known as the ‘hush money’ trial involving Stormy Daniels was delayed until mid-April, enabling Trump’s legal team to go through the 31,000 records shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In Georgia, Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee tossed six of the criminal counts from the indictment ‘package’ against Trump and his cronies, citing insufficient detail surrounding the acts. This notches the felony charges against him in Georgia from 13 to 10.
Meanwhile, also in Fulton County Georgia, with the same judge at the lead, it was decided that DA Fani Willis was allowed to remain on Trump’s election interference case. In order for that to go forward, special prosecutor Nathan Wade was required to step down, which he did with a resignation shortly after the decision went live.
KEY READS
Important stories from around the USA
ATLAS
Stories from around the globe
BEFORE YOU GO….
Let’s continue the convo
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