Serving the people of Southeast Alaska
League of Women Voters of the United States: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) HISTORY and PROCESS LWVUS has supported and pushed for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment since it was first passed by Congress in 1972. Leagues across the country have worked to engage lawmakers and organize at the grassroots level to ensure equal [...]
Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA)Some History: In 1965 Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which protected a citizen’s right to vote. If certain states attempted to suppress the vote of certain groups or made voting difficult through general incompetence of those overseeing the voting process, such a state would fall under a preclearance process for [...]
The Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 responds to current conditions in voting today by restoring the full protections of the original, bipartisan Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was last reauthorized by Congress in 2006, but gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013. • Following the Shelby County decision four years ago, several [...]
Written by Bridget Smith of Juneau for the LWVAKPublished in the Anchorage Daily News--July 5, 2020The League of Women Voters Urges that the Equal Rights Amendment Become the 28th Amendment to the ConstitutionSection 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State [...]
The League of Women Voters grieves the murders of George Floyd and the countless other Black lives that have been tragically taken at the hands of rogue law enforcement officers who are rarely held fully accountable for their actions. We also mourn those who have lost their lives or been harmed, mentally or physically, as [...]
The League of Women Voters Urges that the Equal Rights Amendment Become the 28th Amendment to the Constitution by Bridget Smith Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Section 2. The Congress shall have the [...]
May 16, 2020 League of Women Voters of Alaska--ACTION ALERT The League of Women Voters of Alaska has received two grants from LWVUS, the national League, to advocate and educate for the following: 1. The Equal Rights Amendment, S. J. Res 6, a bill to remove the deadline date now that the required number of [...]
2017 Capitol Currents - last two editions ~ Marching very slowly towards Day 121 and beyond ~ Capitol Currents is a weekly update of happenings at the Alaska State Legislature during session. There is a lot of great information in these editions, important links to find more information, lots and lots of information on [...]
Here is where we are with the Legislature as time runs out: HB 184: The companion bill for SB 72, antidiscrimination. This is being heard in House State Affairs on Thursday, May 3,3 pm, Rm 120. The bill can be found here: <http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HB0184A> Public testimony is not yet scheduled. The bill is being introduced in its [...]
I am sending this out because it is most likely the most important issue that faces citizens of this state at the current time. The information box below from Great Alaska Schools is well done and explains clearly where the budget is at. We need to make our voices heard. The House has completed a major [...]
If you have been hesitant to email your elected state officials, here is a chance to jump in and get your feet wet. And remember that once you contact them by email, their email addresses are in your email list and contacting them again will be much easier. You might want to gather together some friends [...]
Here is the current status. The Legislature is busy. HB 44: Ethics Bill dealing with conflicts of interest. The bill passed the House and has been transmitted to the Senate. Keep tuned. HB 31: Processing sexual assault kits: The bill passed the House and has been transmitted to the Senate. Keep tuned. HB 111: Oil Tax Credits: Passed [...]
Here is the status of the bills we have been following plus one we might want to follow should there ever be a hearing. A. SB 72--The following language would be added to the list of protected classes in state ant-discrimination statute: "sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression." You can send an email of support to Senator.Berta.Gardner@akleg.gov and [...]
Arguments and statements against the National Popular Vote (NPV) Compact include the following, with the LWV's rebuttal written by the LWVAK Advocacy Chair, Judy Andree: 1. "But your votes do count under the current method." This is not fully true given that the Presidential election is a national election and all votes should count at [...]
The Alaska Legislature is considering a bill to adopt the National Popular Vote as a means of weighting votes for each Presidential election. Here is a fact sheet on the topic prepared by the state LWV. You can also download and print this factsheet.