Legislative notes:
4/15/09: Nashville, TN. Harmful
Mandatory Joint Custody Bill stopped in TN House subcommittee. Rep.
Johnny Shaw who represents some of our members was a key no vote!
BPW Jackson members: State President Carol Turpen, Past Local
President Linda Higgins, and Beth Bates lobbied this issue in person
with Rep. Shaw at Woman’s Day on the Hill held 3/18/09. Just as
important, members lobbied by e-mail. Lobbying by e-mail can be easy
and fun; visit the new Tennessee General Assembly web site at
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/.
Other important state bills include:
HB 1532 Emergency Care for Rape Victims and HB 1729
Strangulation---making this common domestic violence offense
aggravated assault without the present requirement of prolonged loss
of consciousness.
3/31/09 Washington D. C. BPW Jackson
members lobby Rep. John Tanner, Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator
Bob Corker concerning S. 182, the Paycheck Fairness Act. Members
thanked Rep. Tanner for voting in favor of the bill which passed the
House in January. Senator Alexander is the ranking minority member
on the Senate HELP committee (Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions). The Paycheck Fairness Act would among other things,
eliminate the penalty for discussing salaries including your own in
the workplace, modernize the 1963 Equal Pay Act to treat gender pay
discrimination treated the same as race discrimination. For more
information about this act and federal legislation important to
women and BPW, visit
htthttp://www.Thomas.gov
Other important issues lobbied by BPW
on 3/31 included proposed legislation creating and promoting
Auto-IRAs, Retirement Security for Women, better Health Care for
Women Veterans and the Healthy Families Act which would provide a
minimum amount of paid sick leave.
4/7/09: Jackson, TN. The Jackson City
Council hears a proclamation issued by the city and county mayors
recognizing Equal Pay Day, the Wage Gap and Jackson BPW’s 90th
Birthday. The citizens of Jackson are reminded of the same during
the month of April by a billboard placard posted on a city bus!
Legislative links:
Nashville Women’s Political Caucus:
http://www.nashvillewpc.com/legislative.htm
BPWUSA
www.bpwusa.org
BPW Foundation
www.bpwfoundation.org