“As
Black state legislators, we should be at the forefront of every policy
dialogue exchanging ideas about how to improve our communities, optimize
our resources, and help all of our constituents achieve the American
dream,” says Kansas state Rep. Barbara Ballard, NBCSL president. “Our
2013 policy resolutions serve as a great discussion point because they
offer tangible solutions.”
Passed during the NBCSL’s 36th Annual
Legislative Conference, all resolutions are disseminated to state,
federal, corporate and nonprofit partners in order to effect change and
serve as the basis for both state and federal legislation and action.
Resolution topics include:
•
21st Century Job Creation: Resolutions call for facilitating small
business growth of minority-owned enterprises; promoting the adoption of
telemedicine and Health Information Exchanges; incentivizing the
development of natural gas vehicles and sustainable materials; and
expanding film, television, and media production.
• Health Care
Reform: Resolutions call for supporting of Medicare and Medicare Part D
as a critical safety net to vulnerable populations, greatly increasing
transparency in health care coverage, improving patient access to
prescription medication, and ensuring every American has access to vital
healthcare treatments and services.
• Civil Rights and Equality:
Resolutions call for the preservation of and expanded access to the
ballot box, continued support in the restoration of voting rights, and
justice for the Scottsboro Boys (in Alabama).
• Affordable Housing:
Resolutions call for preserving homeownership, thwarting predatory
lending, supporting foreclosure mediation, and ensuring fair and
equitable distribution of inherited property.
• Education:
Resolutions call for facilitating safe and supportive learning
environments for all students, and reducing the high school dropout rate
by raising the compulsory attendance age to 18.
The caucus also released the December 2012 issue of its quarterly magazine, The Legislator, during the Annual Legislative Conference.
With
a focus on education and education reform, the current issue – targeted
at state legislators and stakeholders — examines various sides of the
education debate.
Articles cover a range of topics, including
investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education; the
importance of nutrition and familial support; equity for girls’
education; and overall education reform.
Featured writers include Dot
Harris, director of the Office of Economic Impact at the U.S.
Department of Energy; John H. Jackson, president and CEO of the Schott
Foundation on Public Education, NBCSL President Ballard, and former
state Rep. Tony Payton (PA).
“Improving the lives of our constituents
is our number one priority, and we do this through policy action,” said
state Rep. Joe Armstrong (TN), NBCSL president-elect, who chaired
NBCSL’s 2013 Resolutions process.
For the 2013 Policy Resolutions visit nbcsl.org/public-policy/resolutions/item/620-2013-ratified-policy-resolutions.html. To view The Legislator visit: nbcsl.org/news-and-media/magazine.html
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