Here it is.
Paid Family and Medical Leave hearing week.

If you're wondering why we care so much about this, it's because PFML is kind of a BIG DEAL. It's one of the most significant ways we can reduce the gender- and race- pay gap, and while we're at it: 

- significantly decrease turnover costs for small businesses, because employees are more likely to return to their jobs after paid leave.

- stabilize the workforce, because it allows people to meet their family needs and then return – and especially keeps women in their jobs.

- improve family economic stability and women’s retirement savings.

- improve overall health of the population, by increasing rates of breastfeeding, bonding, family care, aging in place, vaccinations, and more – which means that the state’s investment comes back.

It is also supported overwhelmingly by Mainers, including over 80 percent of registered Republicans. It's the rare piece of policy that meets nearly everyone's needs.  

Still: opponents are asking for (unnecessary) exemptions and carveouts, and there is no funding for this essential program in the Governor's change package. That means we need *every voice* to help this get over the line. Keep scrolling for what you can do. We hope to see you on Thursday. 

In solidarity,

Destie, Dania, Catie, and Brook

PS - Here is Lizzo's clap back on Nebraska's Patriarchy/Frankenstein bill, which combine's a 12-week abortion ban with a ban on gender-affirming care for young people. "You deserve to be protected."  Scroll down for more. 

Weekly Calendar

The weekly House Calendar is here. The weekly Senate Calendar is here. 

Committees are *supposed to* have all bills reported out by Friday - they clearly won't, but this is the last big week of hearings! WHEW! 

May 22

10:00 - LD 348 - WS - An Act to Make Menstrual Products Available in Certain Schools (Cloutier)

1:00 - WS in the Health and Human Services Committee addressing a range of bills to create work requirements and other barriers to accessing public assistance  

May 23

1:00 - WS in the Education Committee on a range of bills to ban, censor, or otherwise restrict the free dissemination of information in schools and libraries, including LD 123, An Act to Eliminate the Educational Purposes Exception to the Prohibition on the Dissemination of Obscene Matter to Minors (Libby). 

1:00 - WS on LD 535, An Act to Increase Access to Necessary Medical Care for Certain Minors (Sheehan) 

May 24

10:00 - WS in Labor and Housing Committee on a range of worker's rights bills (Including LD 738 - this says Paid Leave, but this bill is likely to be tabled or killed in favor of LD 1964 on Thursday!). 

12:00 - WS on LD 1726, An Act to Build Maine's Economy by Supporting Child Care for Working Families (Jackson) - this is a priority of the Right From the Start Coalition! 

1:30 - WS in the Education Committee on a range of bills which would increase the availability of *firearms in schools* whatt

May 25

1:00 - LD 1964 - PH - An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to Develop a Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Program (Daughtry)

LD 1964  has momentum, but we know that opposition is trying to water it down or stall it out. We need to show the power of our Coalition and demands, and we are calling on *everyone* to take action now. You don't have to do everything, but could you do *something*?

We need:  
- Written testimony (anytime this week)
- Folks in person at the press conference on Thursday (noon!)
- People to testify in person or over zoom Thursday afternoon (1-4pm)
- Contacts to Legislators (anytime in the next two weeks). 

You can find information about the bill, a guide to testimony, and shareables in the full toolkit - and you can always check in with us to find out more. 

Find the Toolkit Here

People Power Hour: Legislative Update and Poem Circle

June 14 / 6 PM 

We will share legislative updates, and have a  discussion circle on A Litany for Survival by Audre Lorde. Register here!

Power, Purpose, and Peonies 

July 20 / 5:30 - 8:00

Join us for our End of Session Celebration at Broadturn Farm in Scarborough. Learn more about the event here.

Maine Feminist Events Calendar

"White supremacy is central to the hard right, but so is a desire to maintain a patriarchal society where people adhere to strictly defined gender roles and men act from a position of dominance."

With the rise of anti-abortion AND anti-trans legislation - sometimes conveniently (and horrifyingly) linked into one package like in Nebraska last week, patriarchal gender norms are all over some of the political agendas we're seeing in the news. 

This article is a good read with an overview of these connections: 

Southern Poverty Law Center: Male Supremacy is at the Core of the Hard Right's Agenda

MWL Bill Tracker

Find Your Legislator

Testimony Archive

Citizen Advocacy Toolkit