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AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN-ILLINOIS, INC.
PUBLIC POLICY REPORT, 2005

-Diane Balin and Faye Marcus AAUW-IL Co-Directors

This report begins with the AAUW-IL Convention held in Springfield, April 28 and 29, 2005. The majority of the 2004-05 activities of the pubic Policy Committee were explained in the report prublished in the Convention book.

Faye Marcus was appointed as co-director of Public Policy by President Kim Benziger. Diane and Faye facilitated a "Round Table" discussion Friday night at Convention. About 10 members from various branches attended the discussion on AAUW's Public Policy agenda. We encouraged them to access the AAUW website, sign up for Action Alerts and become a 2-minute activist. ERA, Women and Social Security, Pay Equity, Title IX, and equitable school funding were some of the issues we discussed. Packets with information on AAUw's Action Network and position papers on some of the above-mentined issues were handed out. Everyone who attneded Convention was given a copy of the 2005-2006 Illinois Handbook of Government.

Faye attend Association Convention in Washington, D.C. The 2005-07 Public Policy Program was adopted including the proposed changes. Most of the changes were minor wordin addition an deletions. Below is a synopsis of the changes in bold type for "Public Policy Principals in Action."

  • The fllowing principals provide a basis for AAUW members' actions at the local, state, national, and international levels.
  • We work to increase the number of under-represented populations, including women, in policy and other decision making positions.
  • We firmly believe in the separation of church and state.
  • We support a fair and balanced judiciary.
  • AAUW suports the economic, social, and physical well-being of all persons. Essential to that well-being are. . .a livable wage. . .and affordable housing.
  • We advocate for implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action . . .and subsequent declarations.

"Biennial Action Priorities"

To achieve economic self-sufficience for all women, AAUW advocates:

  • Programs that provide women with education, training, and support for success in the work-force, including nontraditional occupations.
  • Strengthening programs, including welfare and vocational education. . .

To guarantee equality, individual rights, and social justice for a diverse society, AAUW advocates:

  • Increased access to health care and expansion of patients' rights.

Lobby Day was held on Monday, June 27. Of the 60 AAUW-IL members attending convention, 40 joined together for Lobby Day! Hurray, Illinois we were to meet with Senators Obama and Durbin's legislative aides. Unfortunately, only Senator Obama's aide was able to meet with us. Our main focus was on Privatization of Social Security and the Reenactment of teh Higher Education Act. primarily the Pell Grants. After this meeting we went our separate ways to meet with our Representatives.

Convention is always stimulating and sends members back with lots of enthusiasm. I got lots of ideas for a state-wide activity. Among them are Lobby Day and Women's Pay Equity Day (April 19). Diane and I will discuss these ideas further.

We continue to encourage our members to Take Action with the AAUW Action Alerts distributed by Linda Lewis and her great list serve. Thank you, Linda. We want to have a list of all the Public Policy chairs in Illinois and we will encourage them to utilize the Action Alerts with their branch members. Every members should receive a copy of the Public Policy program. There are lots of ideas for branch programs, which highlight the pubilc policy agenda. Diane and I will try to make these ideas available to branch public policy chairs. We have some names of people who are interested in serving on a pubic policy committee and we will contact them.

Faye provided written testimony to the Illinois Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation re: Access of Prescribed Contraceptive Drugs at Division I pharmacies to dispense prescriptions for contraceptives without delay. That rule is due to end on August 31. Illinois Planned Parenthood Council spearheaded this effort.

AAUW ACTION NETWORK sent an Action Alert regarding ALPHA, "Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act." This is a bipartisan bill in both the House and the Senate to stop pharmacies from denying the sale of physician-prescribed contraceptives because of their employees' personal or religious beliefs. While ALPHA is a federal bill, Gov. Blagojevich wanted to enact this emergency rule before ALPHA. We were able to provide this testimony because AAUW supports ALPHA as part of our on-going advocacy for women's access to safe accessible health care.

Diane has made contact with A+ Illinois. This board voted to become a member of A+ Illinois. Diane will meet with Harriet McCullough on Tuesday, July 12 in Chicago. Faye hopes to schedule a meeting with Harriet in the Rockford area. A+ Illinois is an advocacy group working to make school funding more equitable.

School funding and ERA will be two fo the state public policy issues which we will focus on in 2005-06. Our federal focus will be in alliance with AAUW's Action Alerts.

     

Lifelong Education

Believing that public education is the foundation of a democratic society, AAUW-IL, Inc. supports:

· Autonomy of local school districts to develop curricula that meet the educational needs and priorities of their communities.
· Full funding of all pension and retirement programs for Illinois University and public school teachers, without borrowing from these funds for any reason.

To promote continuing access to appropriate and challenging educational and employment choices for all persons, AAUW-IL, Inc. supports:

o Bias-free opportunities for lifelong learning.
o Programs that educate women and girls about the wide range of choices for their futures.

To promote equitable educational opportunities for all women and girls, AAUW-IL, Inc. advocates:

· Comprehensive reform of the public education funding system, including equitable and forward funding at all levels and full funding of mandated programs.
· Programs, strategies, and comprehensive legislation that ensure equity for women and girls in all aspects of public education.
· Vigorous enforcement of Title IX.

Positive Societal Change

AAUW-IL, Inc. promotes the social, economic, and physical well-being of all persons through support of:

· Affirmative action as a remedy of past discrimination.
· Cooperative multi-community efforts to promote ecological preservation and restoration of natural resources through conservation and recycling.
· Respect for diversity and rejection of all forms of discrimination including sexual harassment.

Recognizing that regard for human worth and potential is our society's most valuable resource, AAUW-IL, Inc. advocates:

· Enforcement of laws and administrative procedures that protect women and children from violence in all its forms.
· Funding of support services for victims of violence.

In order to effect positive societal change, AAUW-IL, Inc. encourages participation in the democratic process through:

· Voter education on issues affecting all women and girls.
· Dialogue with elected officials.
· Voter registration and voting by all eligible citizens.

The Association provides updates about current Congressional action.

  • Based on Congressional action and AAUW's public policy program, members are urged to contact their Members of Congress.
  • To receive Get the Facts
  • To receive AAUW legislative alerts and on-line news via Illinois' E-mail Network, contact Linda Lewis..

 

Comments to: Marla Kim Benziger president@aauw-il.org
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Last modified 2/19/06