ugh, ACLUM

[hermionesviolin]

Okay, I know I've complained before about the ACLU of Massachusetts form to contact legislators, but this morning I got an email from them ("5 days left; 5 bills to pass!") about 5 bills to try to get through before the legislative session ends on July 31 and the unchangeable Message Recipients are "Your State Senator, Your State Representatives" but I know at least one of these bills has already unanimously passed the House! (Because my State Rep emailed to tell me so earlier this month as a follow-up to an email thread we'd had earlier this season in which I was asking her to support the bill.)

And there's almost no information for ME about the bills so that I could, yanno, elaborate more personally about why these bills are important to me or what impact they would have that I'm concerned about or whatever.

The email to me says:

For this action, we're asking lawmakers to act on five key issues:

• Ban the sale of cellphone location data.
  
• Rein in face surveillance.
  
• Address the opioid crisis.
  
• Pass the Parentage Act.
  
• Tackle maternal health inequities.

The form email to the legislators says:

As your constituent, I urge you to take the following steps before the session ends:

1. Address the opioid crisis using an evidence-based, public health approach - We need to use every available tool to save lives.

2. Tackle inequities in maternal health - Expand access to midwifery care, birth centers, and other reproductive health care services.

3. Pass the Parentage Act - Don't let these long-overdue reforms slip through the cracks! It's time to protect all children and families in Massachusetts.

4. Ban the sale of cellphone location data - This predatory practice puts us all at risk of surveillance and harassment, especially domestic violence survivors.

5. Rein in government use of facial recognition - Pass commonsense safeguards that have been vetted and are ready to go.

So, just off the cuff:

#4. Per my Rep, "H.4844, An Act Providing Protections for Reproductive or Gender-Affirming Care Location Information, has passed unanimously in the House [on July 10] and will now be sent over to the Senate."

#3. I Googled the Parentage Act, which I thought had also passed, and there's a June 12, 2024 press release that says, "Having passed the House of Representatives 156-0, the bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration."

Yes, I should definitely email my Senator about those -- but I'm not gonna form email my Senator AND Rep to ask them to pass these bills when one of those people has already fucking passed the bill.

I'm honestly not even sure what specific bills these other numbers are referencing. I looked up ALCUM's legislative priorities for this session, and "opioid" isn't on that page, so idk what #1 is about, and I really don't love making vague asks of my legislators.

#2, I think is probably re: "Birthing Justice & Maternal Health Equity (S.1415)"

Okay, re: #5, there is very helpfully: "Facial Recognition Commission Recommendations (H.1728/S.927) | Learn More | Testimony | Take Action!"

Comments

[lunabee34]

That sounds deeply frustrating and counterproductive.