Friday Power Lunch: THE RECAP by Finale Norton
Top Takeaways, Videos, & Action Links for Friday Power Lunch: "Virginia Grassroots Coalition Annual Press Conference: PRIORITY BILLS for 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION" on January 10, 2025.
Recap January 10, 2025
On January 10, 2025, Friday Power Lunch, hosts Katherine White and Finale Norton welcomed Luisa Boyarski, leader of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition (VGC) and VGC’s Working Legislative Group. Luisa moderated the “Virginia Grassroots Coalition Annual Press Conference: PRIORITY BILLS for 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.” With a focus on grassroots activism and community engagement, the press conference aimed to inform the public and lawmakers about the VGC's legislative agenda.
To set the tone for the work to be done by the Priority Bill leaders, the team danced in the room to Journey’s Don't Stop Believing performed by The Grand Jam. “Don’t Stop Believing” perfectly encapsulates the importance of wonderment, perseverance, and hope, as universal, never giving up despite the challenges. There will be challenges to get these bills through, but this team of activists and legislators will get it done! Know that they will need the engagement of all of us to make it happen.
Season 5 | Episode 2
TITLE: Virginia Grassroots Coalition Annual Press Conference: PRIORITY BILLS for 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Watch the Friday Power Lunch below or on our YouTube Channel here.
THE RECAP
by Finale Norton
Special guest host, Luisa Boyarski began with an introduction of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition, which is made up of more than fifty-five grassroots groups across Virginia. They represent tens of thousands of Virginia voters around the state. The leads work with members in issues groups to help draft and prioritize bills that they advocate for throughout the General Assembly session. They are an amazing group of volunteers and advocates. Additionally, this is the year that the process for three new constitutional amendments will begin.
Watch Luisa’s introduction.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
First up was the process of getting the three constitutional amendments on the ballot for the voters. Let me tell you, it’s no easy task. There are seven steps and April Breslaw takes us flawlessly through each one. I can tell you I am a lot smarter! See the process explained in detail here.
Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker details the 3 Constitutional Amendments Reproductive Health, Marriage Equality, and Voting Rights Restoration and why they are vital to the well-being of Virginians. Watch her video here.
Nancy Morgan, the lead on campaign finance and getting Big Money Out of Virginia discussed campaign finance reform. I bet you didn't know that in 2020 Virginia was ranked by the Coalition of Integrity Swamp Index 46 out of fifty jurisdictions, because of the lack of transparency. Surely, we can do better. Nancy was joined by Delegate Josh Cole who had a story to tell on why he is carrying this bill. See the segment here.
Rip Sullivan author of the Virgina Clean Economy Act having a little fun.Meredith Haines, the co-lead of Virginia Grassroots Coalition’s Climate and Clean Energy Working Group, was joined by Rip Sullivan who introduced the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020. Did you know that Data Centers are also called AI Refineries and that innovative tactics can be employed to use some of the heat that is dispensed from the Data Centers?
Watch this segment to see what innovation may lie ahead.
Marianne Burke, the lead of the Education Working Group, and board member of 4 Public Education, told us that Virginia currently ranked 41st for state per pupil funding, between Mississippi and Missouri. Marianne explained that this was because of the way the funding structure is calculated in Virginia. With the funding coming mostly from property taxes, localities with higher income levels will have more funding. Rural communities, communities of color, and areas with a higher share of poverty have fewer resources, but there is a solution.
Senator Ghazala Hashmi is carrying the bill to address these inequities through the budget process. Watch this segment with Marianne Burke and Senator Hashmi here.
The Priorities that Justice Forward will be advocating in 2025.The final presenter was the Executive Director of Justice Forward Virginia, Rob Poggenklass. The organization was started in Virginia in 2017 by a group of public defenders. They are a nonpartisan advocacy organization. They have done important work like repealing mandatory jury sentencing and played a vital role in repealing Virginia’s death penalty.
With the help of Senator Boysko, they are focused on a bill to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, like autism or a neurodivergent disorder, to not get charged with a felony in certain circumstances. If there is a crisis and the family calls the police, often unintended consequences happen that can destroy the family if the person is convicted of a felony. It can be a bit complex, but it is an important segment to watch.
Luisa called upon our legislators to pass legislation that serves the interests of all Virginians, not just those with the greatest access or the loudest voice.
Watch Luisa lead the charge with the next steps for the Virginia Grassroots Coalition and the Calls to Action for the rest of us!
Next Week January 17, 2025, at 12 PM ET
You don’t want to miss the show next week with Lisa Gilbert the Co-President of Public Citizen. “Corporations have their lobbyist. The People need advocates too. That’s where we come in”Join us next Friday for another fantastic program with Lisa Gilbert, the co-president of Public Citizen - Protecting Health, Safety, and Democracy. “Since Trump was declared the winner, Public Citizen has been charging forward to activate and build impactful plans that will limit the damage he and his cronies can inflict upon millions of Americans, our democracy, our planet, and everyone on it.” Lisa will discuss the three key areas of their plan. You don’t want to miss the organization that punches way above their weight.
See you next week!
Finale Norton
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Thank you to Luisa and the Virginia Grassroots for supporting progressive legislation for the last 8 years!