– Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities – (S810). Health Care Financing Committee.
– Paid Sick Leave – Now in the Ways and Means Committee (Released by Health Care Financing Committee).
– Protect Tenants and Victims of Predatory Foreclosures. (S2355) “Act to Stabilize Neighborhoods” On April 29, 2010, passed unanimously in the Senate. Will now move to House.
– Include Transgender Individuals in Protections of State Anti-Discrimination Law – (Budget Amendment #764) – Joint Committee on Judiciary
Budget Amendment #764 would add transgender individuals to the Commonwealth’s existing anti-discrimination law. Senator Cynthia Creem is one of the many co-sponsors of the bill and is co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee considering the bill.
The “paid sick days” bill has now been sent to House Ways and Means. Let your legislator know this is a very important piece of legislation. For added information on this issue look on this website at JALSA Pages: JALSA Issues: “Paid Sick Days for all Workers”.
JALSA has signed onto a letter to the Congress endorsing a bill that would strike the one-year filing deadline for asylum applications. Currently the Immigration and Nationality Act requires asylum requests to be filed within one year. Often refugees need more time to make sure other family members are away from danger.
Harvard Medical School Professor Emeritus Rashi Fein spoke on Friday, April 16 discussing Health Care Reform and what next steps do we take to improve health care.
250-300 people crowed the Great Hall of the State House to hear Lilly Ledbetter and Vickie Reggie Kennedy speak on Paid Sick Leave. Governor Deval Patrick spoke to the crowd providing his first public support for the legislation. The program was moderated by State AFL-CIO President Bob Haynes. Speakers included employers who provided strong support for paid sick leave.
Rabbi Barbara Penzner visited CLSA on Friday, April 9 to discuss the firing of the Hyatt housekeepers. CLSA will consider what options are available for increasing public visibility and pressure on the Hyatt to reconsider the treatment of these workers.
