April Update: UN and State Edition

Following are updates shared from submissions of the Lutheran Office for World Community and state public policy offices (sppos) in the ELCA Advocacy Network this month. Full list and map of sppos available.

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The sixty-sixth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) took place from 14 to 25 March 2022. The Priority Theme was achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs; and the Review Theme was women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work.

Despite taking place in a hybrid format, CSW66 had high-level participation from Member States, including two Heads of State and Government, three vice-presidents, and 111 ministers. In addition, 213 virtual side events were organized by Member States and UN entities, many in collaboration with civil society. Also, more than 800 virtual non-governmental organizations (NGO) parallel events organized by civil society took place.

The Lutheran World Federation and the ELCA participated virtually in the two-week event with a delegation of over 80 members from different parts of the world, facilitated by the Lutheran Office for World Community. Delegates highlighted the urgency of taking action against the climate crisis, especially as it relates to women’s human rights and their ability to participate as equals in climate action. In addition, they showcased the vital role that faith actors play in promoting women’s empowerment, and in combating violence and discrimination to achieve greater gender equality at local, national, and international levels. This CSW66 brought together the gender and climate justice work that Lutherans have led over many years including youth-led climate justice action around the world by amplifying the leadership and voices of young people.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

On April 9, volunteers from Urban Servant Corps, a one-year full time Lutheran volunteer program in Denver, joined LAM-CO Director Peter Severson for a visit to the Colorado State Capitol Building.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN CRUNCH TIME: As the Colorado General Assembly moves into the final quarter of its 2022 session, LAM-CO is actively working on a host of bills related to our 2022 Advocacy Agenda. Among our top priorities this session:

HB 1259, Modifications to Colorado Works Program (Duran/Jodeh). This bill will offer badly-needed updates to our state’s Basic Cash Assistance program, which is funded through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It will remove some key barriers to eligibility and increase baseline assistance.
SB 087, Healthy Meals for All Public School Students (Pettersen/Fields). The bill continues a program initiated through Colorado’s federal COVID relief funds, covering the cost of school meals for all children in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.
SB 099, Sealing Criminal Records (Hisey/Rodriguez). Also known as “Clean Slate,” the bill automates the record-sealing process for certain non-violent offenses, for which over one million Coloradans are already eligible.

New Mexico

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry New Mexico (LAM-NM) – lutheranadvocacynm.org

Kurt Rager, Director

It’s like farming Redwood trees…

Ruth Hoffman, the long-time director of LAM-NM now retired, would describe the work of legislative advocacy as, “farming redwood trees.” In other words, positive policy change can take years of cultivation and work to achieve. The 2022 New Mexico legislature passed several bills during the legislative session that would exemplify this. We at LAM-NM are particularly proud of our role in the success of HB-132.

HB-132 cut interest rates on short-term loans, offered by nearly 900 store-front lenders across New Mexico, from 175% to 36%. (Twenty years ago, such loans were offered at well over 400%.) These loans target New Mexico’s most financially vulnerable and 65% of lenders are located within 10 miles of Indigenous lands. Even more devastating, these loans are typically rolled over several times. What may have started as an emergency loan for a few hundred turns into several thousand dollars owed. More than 15 years ago a concerted effort to reduce interest rates began.

LAM-NM, working alongside partner organizations that together make up the NM Fair Lending Coalition, cultivated this effort over numerous sessions while confronting formidable opposition. n 2022, to amplify the voice of faith communities, a letter from denominational leaders of the NM Conference of Churches was initiated. Individuals in congregations were invited to sign-on as well, and in just over two weeks almost 500 advocacy partners in 40 congregations added their names to the letter to legislators in support of the 36% interest rate cap. Indeed, the impact of the letter was clear as it was referenced during the House floor debate.

Ohio

Hunger Network Ohio (HNO) – hungernetwork.org

Deacon Nick Bates, Director

Ohio continues to struggle to adopt fair maps in the state. It appears that Ohio’s congressional maps will move forward for at least the 2022 election cycle while state maps remain in legal limbo. We encourage you to follow our colleagues at Common Cause Ohio to stay up-to-date.

In March, we were excited to host our second webinar on the intersection of hunger and other issues. This time we focused on the environment and discussed policy issues in Ohio related to clean water and energy production. For too long, Ohio has under-invested in clean water infrastructure including mapping and replacing lead pipes, wastewater, and stormwater management. We also spent a half hour discussing local congregational efforts including those in Southwest Ohio at Christ the King Lutheran Church with their efforts to not only move toward sustainability but toward restoration. You can watch our webinar here!

Our next webinar will focus on criminal justice but has not yet been scheduled. Follow our Facebook page to see when future events are scheduled!

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

Budget advocacy accelerated this month as LAMPa met with coalition partners to organize around priorities and sought input from our ministries. LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale made legislative visits to seek support for increases in the State Food Purchase Program and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System in the face of rising food prices. The state’s two major anti-hunger programs support lower purchase prices for Pennsylvania’s charitable food network that includes many congregational pantries. LAMPa also worked to identify champions for a proposed state-supported increase in minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for seniors and persons with disabilities.

LAMPa and coalition partners made progress on securing bipartisan support for legislation dealing with prescription drug pricing and funding for the state housing trust fund. LAMPa advocates have worked for years on the program, and it will be the focus of a presentation at United Lutheran Seminary on April 28. The presentation, which will include conversation with housing agency officials and advocates who themselves have experienced homelessness, will conclude the seminary’s spring convocation.

DePasquale met with Lutheran Disaster Response, Pa. Council of Churches, and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster regarding increases in state funding for disaster and plans to educate the next administration about disaster response.

Staff offered advocacy presentations to Allegheny Synod deans and congregations in Lower Susquehanna Synod, hosted a webinar on energy choice and community solar advocacy, met with Lutheran advocates monitoring elections legislation and continued work with partners seeking independent investigations of police use of lethal force.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Director

Pictured is Kristin Ang at the Transportation package signing.

We are celebrating some wonderful successes from the 2022 Legislative Session that ended on March 10. This was one of the most productive short sessions in recent memory, with transformational investments across the safety net—food, school meals, housing, and cash assistance—as well as transportation and education. By the end of session, the largest supplemental budget in history passed with $64.1 billion that will make a tangible difference for our communities, along with a 16-year, $17 billion transportation package called “Move Ahead Washington” that will reduce emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. We were frustrated that our criminal justice and police reform bills did not move and recommit ourselves to continue working in coalition to move forward a ban on solitary confinement and other essential reforms. Other notable achievements of this session included bipartisan support for the nation’s first alert system for missing and endangered Indigenous persons, momentous victories for gun responsibility, and additional funding to support refugees arriving in our state. You can review the full list of successes and read Policy Engagement Director Kristin Ang’s recap at fanwa.org/advocacy/legislative-agenda.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Care for God’s Creation – Message from Governor Evers’ Office: “The Governor will today sign AB 727/SB 677, which Lutheran Office for Public Policy Wisconsin supported, related to creating a commercial nitrogen optimization pilot program, providing crop insurance rebates for cover crops, creating a hydrogeologist position, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. We wanted to make sure you knew before it came out publicly. Thank you so much for your advocacy.” signed by Camille Crary, Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Governor Tony Evers

Human Trafficking: LOPPW’s director the Rev. Cindy Crane was one of the presenters at UW-Madison Law School’s Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender Society Symposium, at the recommendation of a La Crosse legislator. LOPPW presented on recent anti-sex trafficking bills.

Wednesday Noon Live: Interview with Secretary of State Doug La Follette. How some leaders tried to overthrow the 2020 election results in Wisconsin: What is at stake in the Secretary of State’s position? Click here to watch the interview.

Youth Advocacy: We held our first listening session for youth, who showed interest in climate justice, equity and racism, anti-bullying, equity and LGBTQ+ issues, and hunger and class. There is interest in holding a second session.

Raise the Age: Our coalition had its first online informational session, which included testimonies from two people with experience being sent to adult prison as youth. You can watch the video here.

March Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The International Migration Review Forum (IMRF):

was created by the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).
is a Member State forum, with the participation of stakeholder including civil society, to discuss and review implementation of the GCM and guide the work of the United Nations on migration.
will take place every four years starting in 2022. The first session of the IMRF will be held from 17 – 20 May 2022 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for four days.
will be convened under the auspices of the General Assembly.
will consist of four interactive multi-stakeholder round tables, a policy dialogue, and a plenary, and result in an agreed Progress Declaration.

Arizona

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) – lamaz.org

Solveig Muus, Director

LAMA met for the first time with Arizona hunger advocates including Bread for the World, World Hunger Ecumenical Arizona Task-Force (WHEAT), Arizona Food Bank Network and Arizona Food Systems Network to discuss hunger advocacy legislation for the 2023 legislative session. This new hunger advocacy work group is excited about the possibilities for state-wide collaboration in the future. LAMA attended Arizona Food Bank Network’s Food Day at the Capitol on March 10 in support of our hunger coalition partners.

Voting integrity and access to the ballot are major concerns in Arizona, so it stands to reason that LAMA’s Policy Council determined Civic Engagement would be a policy priority for 2022. After nearly 130 voting-related bills were introduced in the Arizona legislature, dozens survived crossover week and have had or will have hearings this session. LAMA is partnering with Arizona Faith Network (formerly Arizona Ecumenical Council) on voter legislation and registration this year.

In other news, LAMA continues to introduce LAMA and the importance of Lutheran advocacy to our Grand Canyon Synod congregations. This month included kickoff events at Desert Cross Lutheran in Gilbert, AZ and Esperanza Lutheran in Ahwatukee, AZ. LAMA also participated in a forum on Refugee Resettlement with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest at Ascension Lutheran in Paradise Valley, AZ where, in addition to the presentation, panelists fielded many questions about the refugee crisis in Ukraine.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN FULL SWING: As the Colorado General Assembly moves ahead to the midway point of its 2022 session, Lutheran Advocacy is actively working on a host of bills related to our 2022 Advocacy Agenda. Among our top priorities this session:

HB 1259, Modifications to Colorado Works Program (Duran/Jodeh). This bill will offer badly needed updates to our state’s Basic Cash Assistance program, which is funded through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It will remove some key barriers to eligibility and increase baseline assistance.
SB 087, Healthy Meals for All Public School Students (Pettersen/Fields). The bill continues a program initiated through Colorado’s federal COVID-19 relief funds, covering the cost of school meals for all children in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program.
SB 099, Sealing Criminal Records (Hisey/Rodriguez). Also known as “Clean Slate,” the bill automates the record-sealing process for certain non-violent offenses, for which over 1 million Coloradans are already eligible.

LUTHERAN DAY AT THE CAPITOL A SUCCESS: Despite a winter storm hitting the Front Range the night before, we still carried off our Lutheran Day at the Capitol on February 17 with a successful hybrid event. In-person attendees braved the slick roads to gather at St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Denver, while even more attendees joined on Zoom, to hear theological grounding for our advocacy, a briefing on the issues confronting the legislature this year, and training for citizen lobbying & advocacy.

Kansas

Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA) – kansasinterfaithaaction.org

Rabbi Moti Rieber, Executive Director

Kansas’ legislative session opened on January 10. Our priorities included:

Working with Teach The Truth, to push back against efforts to restrict the teaching of America’s racial history in schools (a coalition KIFA put together and leads);
Supporting the repeal of the state food sales tax, among the highest in the nation;
Addressing some of the injustices caused by Kansas’ 2015/2016 “welfare reform” law;
Protecting the right to vote in Kansas and supporting fair redistricting;
Supporting Medicaid expansion and payday loan reform; and
Protecting Kansas’ clean energy strides.

We held our annual Interfaith Invocation the morning of January 13 – this was our first in-person event since 2020.

KIFA Advocacy Days were held Feb. 15-17; the first day was in-person and the second two were virtual. Thirty-five people (mostly clergy) attended the in-person day. Highlights included legislative meetings and a “Teach the Truth” rally at noon, which got excellent media coverage. Highlights of the virtual days included a keynote address by Rev. Jacqui Lewis of Middle Collegiate Church in New York, as well as an evening “Prayer Vigil for Grief, Justice and Hope.”

We have testified on over 10 bills and have sent out five action alerts to our supporters (so far!). We are part of coalitions on voting rights, redistricting and clean energy, as well as the Teach the Truth coalition that KIFA leads.

The session will adjourn on March 31.

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Legislative Session: Bills are moving quickly through House committee hearings. In the Senate, leadership has been slow to offer budget targets to committee chairs. Being so far behind could result in little time for Senate hearings and mean most big items get negotiated by a small group of House, Senate and Administration leaders.

Surplus Uses: Opinions differ radically, even within parties. Proposals include:

a wide range of tax cuts (large/permanent, moderate, one-time “rebates”),
various investments (housing options/help, infrastructure, education priorities, health costs, climate mitigation/adaptation, etc.),
“winner-decide-all” following fall election outcomes (assumes a single party could take the House, Senate & governorship AND be of one mind on priorities),
pet projects of individual legislators.

LA-MN believes well-being for the whole state, while addressing our greatest human needs, are most important. Tax changes should be temporary, to prevent the structural deficit and cuts that plagued Minnesota for years following previous permanent tax cuts. Those deficits hurt everyone – rural, urban, small town, suburban; the very young to the old. Infrastructure wasn’t maintained, budget gaps were filled with “borrowed” education funding, and Minnesota was left unprepared for the economic downturn. Housing/ affordable housing are still recovering 15 years later.

LA-MN Staff: Director Tammy Walhof and Hunger Advocacy Fellow Rachel Wyffels have been busy with coalition partners, hearings, conversations with advocates and more. Wyffels has been engaged with the Northeast Minnesota Synod EcoFaith Team in producing creation care trainings. She is cohosting the weekly Zoom trainings with Kali Kadelbach, a Youth Pastor in Princeton.

Ohio

Hunger Network Ohio (HNO) – hungernetwork.org

Deacon Nick Bates, Director

Last month HNO hosted a conversation on education and hunger in our communities. Our local school cafeterias are the frontlines against childhood hunger, and our schools are vital in preparing students for the challenges of a constantly changing economy of the future. You can watch that webinar here. You can also watch the short video we put together of educators talking about our schools and the needs that they see.

We are excited to host this month’s webinar on “Caring for Creation to End Hunger”. You can join us on Wednesday March 23rd at 1pm EDT by clicking here to register!

Redistricting takes center stage in Ohio. The majority party continues to pass maps without minority party support that continue to be rejected by the Supreme Court of Ohio for unfairly gerrymandering districts to guarantee safe majorities and super-majorities for the next four to 10 years. Districts need to be fairly drawn to reflect the needs of our communities and not extremist out-of-state interests that can repeatedly dominate district priorities.

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

Budget advocacy took shape in February as the legislature was occupied with related hearings. LAMPa began planning legislative meetings and hunger network action on the State Food Purchase Program, the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System and a proposed increase in the minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on our anti-hunger agenda.

In good news on food security and equity, LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale participated in a meeting of the state Emergency Food Assistance Advisory Committee, where it was announced that an increase in the income eligibility threshold for The Emergency Food Assistance Program should be in place by early summer, allowing people with incomes of up to 185 percent of poverty to qualify. In addition, the Department of Agriculture announced plans to focus on socially disadvantaged farmers in a new federally funded local food purchasing program that will distribute food through the charitable network.

Food security, sustainability and equity were also themes of the Pasa Sustainable Agriculture Conference, which DePasquale attended, connecting with farmers and coalition partners in preparation for work on the federal Farm Bill.

As part of LAMPa’s focus on sustainability, staff worked with colleagues in ELCA federal and U.N. offices to advance work with Pennsylvania congregations and institutions striving to meet climate goals and to support the church’s witness at the sixty-sixth session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, focused on climate change.

LAMPa staff and policy council members worked to prepare for an April hybrid learning and advocacy event focusing on housing and homelessness.

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

In response to the Texas Legislature’s voter suppression efforts in 2021, Texas Impact is working with partner congregations to equip Texans of faith to support democracy by participating in local elections – from registering voters to recruiting election workers. In addition, Texas Impact joined the Brennan Center’s lawsuit against the Texas voting bill.

ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow Isa Peterson is leading an effort to complete a report on Texas’ Public Utility Commission sunset process, which will be released in March.

Texas Impact’s weekly podcast “Weekly Witness” relaunched in January with a new producer and new format. This will allow even higher quality content to equip Texans of faith to participate in justice and advocacy work.

The Texas Impact Board of Directors is beginning a project to compile social statements from member judicatories.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Elise DeGooyer, Director

We launched our work in 2022 with the 60-day Wash. State Legislative Session that began on January 10 and ended March 10. Our new Policy Engagement Director Kristin Ang is off to a great start – she quickly learned from Paul Benz and our many coalition partners and helped prioritize an ambitious Legislative Agenda.

To get our network ready for the 2022 session, FAN hosted two “Preparing for the 2022 State Legislative Session Trainings”. Advocates joined us to get an overview of our legislative agenda, hear from legislators on how and why to advocate, learn about the important websites to visit while advocating in a virtual setting, and meet in breakout rooms by issue topic to delve deeper into the bills on our agenda.

We co-sponsored the Eastern Washington Legislative Conference on January 22, with the theme “Mobilizing for Our Future,” featuring Fr. Pat Conroy, SJ, former chaplain to Congress. Hosted online, advocates heard from an interfaith panel on mobilizing faith communities for justice, workshops on critical issues facing their communities, and a legislative briefing. Our signature event, Interfaith Advocacy Day (IFAD) 2022, was held on Zoom February 10. From Bellingham, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Ellensburg, Vancouver, the Olympic Peninsula, and across the Puget Sound region, 150 advocates representing 39 legislative districts attended more than 80 meetings with legislators and their aides. Workshops were offered by FAN volunteers and our coalition partners, and legislators and faith leaders encouraged attendees’ advocacy. Next month, we will share the recap of some great bill victories, and what will need more work in the year ahead.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

The Rev. Cindy Crane, Director

Legislative Bills Supported: The Wisconsin Legislative session is ending. In last month’s update, we listed the bills we supported. In our advocacy for clean groundwater, we also supported Assembly Bill 727, which creates “a commercial nitrogen optimization pilot program, providing crop insurance rebates for cover crops, creating a hydrogeologist position, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.”

Wednesday Noon Live: The Rev. Peter Jonas shared his experience working with other clergy and lay leaders advocating against Trempealeau County becoming a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary. The Rev. Jeff Wild discussed his work blacksmithing and peacemaking. Gun control is not one of LOPPW’s priorities, but we can still offer guidance on how to advocate.

New on LOPPW’s Website: Under Resources, Reflections & Tools we added a “Youth Advocacy” section and “Hunger Leaders WI/UP” section. The latter is to assist a group of ELCA Hunger Leaders from Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in their efforts to network within our six synods. They have included advocacy in their three recent sessions.

Connecting: LOPPW had an in-person presence at synod events in the Greater Milwaukee Synod and South-Central Synod of Wisconsin. LOPPW Director Cindy Crane has been meeting with all six bishops individually to update them and receive input. Crane also attended an interfaith anti-sex trafficking event at a Catholic church and has met with leadership teams for anti-sex trafficking, climate justice and juvenile justice.

February Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The sixty-sixth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66) will take place from 14 to 25 March 2022. This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related safety and health guidelines implemented at UN Headquarters, the official session will take place in a hybrid format with limited in-person attendance prioritized for member states. Interactive dialogues as well as side and parallel events will be fully virtual.

Priority theme: Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programs.

Review theme: Women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work (agreed conclusions of the sixty-first session).

Our Lutheran Office for World Community is active in planning engagement for Lutheran participants at CSW66.

Arizona

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) – lamaz.org

Solveig Muus, Director

LAMA held its first Advocacy Day at the Legislature in more than 20 years on February 1, 2022. The day included remarks by House Speaker Russell “Rusty” Bowers; Representative Jennifer Longdon; Bishop Deborah Hutterer, ELCA Grand Canyon Synod; and Connie Phillips, CEO of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. More than 85 Lutherans and hunger coalition partners gathered to connect, pray, meet with legislators and hear the Invocation offered by Bishop Hutterer in the State House of Representatives. LAMA announced that hunger advocates including LAMA, Bread for the World, World Hunger Ecumenical Arizona Task-Force (WHEAT), Arizona Food Bank Network and Arizona Food Systems Network will collaborate on hunger advocacy legislation for the 2023 legislative session, opening the door to a new era of cooperation and commitment to ending food insecurity in Arizona. Special attention will be paid to food deserts and indigenous representation. More pictures of the day can be found here.

Meanwhile, as the window for new bill introductions for the 2022 session closes and we enter crossover week, LAMA is keeping eyes on bills related to its policy priorities of food insecurity and civic engagement, including more than 130 voting-related bills. LAMA championed HB2060 during Advocacy Day, a bill that would enable citizens with a drug felony on their record to access SNAP benefits more easily.

LAMA continues our efforts to educate our Arizona congregations about the importance of voicing our common needs in the public square. We are encouraged and grateful to the many congregations who invited us to participate in worship and share our advocacy message.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

DAY AT THE CAPITOL: Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado hosted Lutheran Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 17, 2022. All faithful advocates in Colorado were invited to this day of learning and action! More information is available at https://www.rmselca.org/co-lutheran-day-at-the-capitol.

LEGISLATING IS UNDERWAY: The Colorado General Assembly is in session, and there are already several bills on the docket that Lutheran Advocacy plans to work on. These include:

House Bill 1083, Colorado Homeless Contribution Income Tax Credit (Reps. Tipper & Rich)
Senate Bill 19, Access to Suppressed Eviction Court Records (Sen. Winter)
Senate Bill 87, Healthy Meals for All Public School Students (Sens. Pettersen & Fields)
Senate Bill 99, Sealing Criminal Records (Sens. Hisey & Rodriguez)

More bills are in the pipeline, including reforms to Colorado Works and allocations for housing and support services from federal COVID relief funds.

DISASTER RESPONSE: The Rocky Mountain Synod is actively accompanying people who lost their homes in the historically destructive Marshall Fire in Boulder County on December 30, 2021. Together with Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran Family Services, we are working to address the needs of displaced families and people, beginning with those who are part of our congregational communities in the area. Learn more at https://www.rmselca.org/boulder-county-fire-response.

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Budget Surplus: In mid-January, a new budget forecast surprised everyone with an anticipated $7 billion surplus. Although 2022 is a bonding year, the legislature has the option to pass a supplemental budget. Gov. Walz has proposed a supplemental budget focused heavily on education, including universal pre-K. He included $100 million to fund “community stabilization” for Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH). It doesn’t include much for the environment. We applaud the governor’s proposal for NOAH stabilization, but would like to see a larger amount put into affordable housing overall, in addition to addressing the climate crisis.

Session Start: The legislative session started Monday, January 31. The week prior, the House Climate Caucus released a proposed Climate Action Plan, but nothing complementary exists in the Senate yet.

Bonding: Gov. Walz’s $2.7 billion bonding proposal spends almost 60% on asset preservation and infrastructure. It does include $350 million for affordable housing, and $75 million for homeless shelters. The proposal from Homes for All, a state-wise coalition of which LA-MN is a part, calls for $400 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds (to build more affordable housing), $100 million in bonds for repairs/renovation of Public Housing, and $75 million for shelters. The governor’s proposal also includes $262 million on climate change concerns and natural resources, much of which would focus on electric vehicle charging infrastructure and stormwater construction.

Youth Extravaganza: Hunger Advocacy Fellow Rachel Wyffles recently had the opportunity to engage and introduce youth ministry leaders from across the country to advocacy at the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza in Minneapolis. She even prepared a fantastic Youth Advocacy Resource for participants!

New Mexico

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – New Mexico (LAM-NM) – lutheranadvocacynm.org

Kurt Rager, Director

2nd Session of the 55th Legislature races towards the finish.

The New Mexico Legislature’s current 30-day session came to an end at noon on February 17. Though down significantly from previous 30-day sessions, about 450 bills have been introduced. LAM-NM has been tracking more than 60 bills, actively speaking in support or opposition to those identified as priority legislation.

LAM-NM Advocacy Agenda legislation high-lights:

Affordable Housing & Homelessness – Support for legislation that did not make it out of last year’s session, that would update landlord-tenant relations by increasing time to remedy; for legislation that would ensure annual appropriations to the NM Housing Trust Fund, enabling it to greatly increase the building of low and affordable housing; and for funding of programs that can prevent and assist people experiencing homelessness.

Family-Sustaining Income – Support for capping short-term “store-front” installment loans at 36%; for raising the minimum wage paid to state employees. Opposition of various tax relief measures, preferring instead to see a comprehensive overhaul of New Mexico’s overall tax structure.

Healthcare – Support for legislation that would help identify those low-income and uninsured New Mexicans, connecting them to free or low-cost health insurance plans; for expanding school-based health clinics; and for continued funding for the study of NM’s Health Security Plan.

Hunger – Support for additional emergency funding for New Mexico food banks, and for the Governor’s $24 million appropriation request for the state-wide Food, Farm and Hunger Initiative.

Tax Policy – Opposition of legislation to exempt Social Security from the state’s personal income tax for upper income seniors, preferring instead to see the issue considered during an upcoming, comprehensive overhaul of New Mexico’s tax structure; and of other tax cuts for the same argument.

Criminal Justice – Support for legislation that would provide flexibility for payment of fines, fees, and costs, that would expand community service options, and would require ability-to-pay screening, for legislation that would prohibit imposition of a life-sentence without parole for a juvenile, and for the study of establishing a unified state prison and jail system.

Care of Creation – Support for legislation that promoted restoration of abandoned uranium mines; for environmental rights; and for the Clean Future Act.

Election & Redistricting Reform – Support for legislation that would amend the state’s constitution to create a permanent Citizen’s Redistricting Commission.

Ohio

Hunger Network Ohio – hungernetwork.org

Nick Bates, Director

CHURCH ENGAGING THE WORD: Education

Strong schools today lead to hunger-free communities tomorrow! Schools are essential in making sure kids are fed so they can learn, students are prepared for the workforce of tomorrow, and future community leaders are prepared to address our communities’ most pressing needs with compassion and wisdom.

EVENT: February 23, 1pm

In 2022, the Hunger Network will host a series of informative zoom meetings to discuss important issues in our communities and how our faith communities can respond through service and advocacy to make sure every child is fed. On February 23, at 1pm, we invite Ohioans to learn about the impact of our public schools on our communities and their role in ending hunger. You can register for this event here.

DID YOU KNOW? The Ohio River connects the state with a large inland river system that brings business to and from over 85% of the nation’s major cities. As people of faith, water is holy and sacred to us and just one example of God’s abundant grace that provides for us everyday. Ohio should be proud of our water and seek to protect it moving forward. If you are passionate about clean water in Ohio, please contact our director, Nick Bates at Nick@hungernetohio.com to help us build our water advocacy team!

Pennsylvania

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry – Pennsylvania (LAMPa) lutheranadvocacypa.org

Tracey DePasquale, Director

LAMPa and other hunger advocates cheered increases for food security programs in Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2022-23 budget proposal. The spending plan calls for a $2 million increase in the Penn. Agricultural Surplus Program, plus two new food security measures – a $1 million grant to encourage colleges to address hunger, and a $14 million provision to increase minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for seniors and Pennsylvanians with disabilities to $35 from $20. The State Food Purchase Program, which saw a $3 million increase in 2021, is proposed to be level funded.

“As the economy recovers from the pandemic, some households, especially those who were already living at or near poverty, are still experiencing hardship,” said LAMPa Director Tracey DePasquale. “Rising food prices are putting a strain on family budgets, increasing the need for charitable food, while at the same time, decreasing the purchasing power of food banks.”

LAMPa also applauded a $10 million proposed state disaster assistance fund for those experiencing a federally declared disaster who do not qualify for traditional assistance.

In addition to budget advocacy, LAMPa is working with coalition partners to address an underlying cause of hunger – housing insecurity. As housing costs skyrocket, we are advocating to lift the cap on the realty transfer tax dedicated to the Pa. Housing Accessibility and Rehabilitation Program.

As the new session begins, LAMPa is also monitoring elections/voting legislation and working with senate staff and criminal justice reform advocates on legislation to support independent investigations in police use of deadly force.

Wisconsin

Lutheran Office for Public Policy – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org

Cindy Crane, Director

Legislative Bills Supported

Assembly Bill 728 (clean water – see Action Alert). LOPPW also individually contacted all of the members of the Committee on Agriculture.
Assembly Bill 58 (anti-sex trafficking): This bill allows a residential tenant to terminate their lease if the tenant or the tenant’s child fears imminent violence and faces an imminent threat of serious physical harm from another person if the tenant remains on the premises.
Senate Bill 746 (anti-sex trafficking): requires the Department of Public Instruction to develop a child sexual abuse prevention policy and instructional program, that is age appropriate, to be provided to pupils in grades kindergarten to six.
Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act
Afghan Adjustment Act

Wednesday Noon Live: We interviewed Deb Martin, Oshkosh, and Cindy Dobberke, Mukwonago, to discuss their work with other hunger leaders to network around Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to counter hunger. They discussed the three sessions – All who Strive a World Without Hunger, which they organized with other hunger leaders. LOPPW is a part of the group to add an advocacy perspective on hunger and gave a brief presentation during the first session.

Wednesday Noon Live: with Giovana Oaxaca, ELCA Program Director of Migration

Youth: LOPPW met with representatives from six synods to discuss plans for a listening session for youth to learn about their interests in social justice.

Coalitions: LOPPW met with four coalitions to amplify our work on juvenile justice, climate justice, hunger, and anti-human trafficking.

Anniversary beckons constructive civic engagement

By the Rev. Amy E. Reumann, Senior Director, Witness in Society

A year ago, I watched the storming of the U.S. Capitol with horror – outraged at the violence and assault on our democracy, fearful for the lives of public servants and appalled at the proliferation of Christian language and symbols used by the mob. I turned to the book of Isaiah that day, especially chapter 61 where the prophet promises comfort and restoration to those who mourn.

The prophet unveils a vision for rebuilding out of the rubble of national tragedy. In this vision the repair is led by those who have suffered most under the current order – the oppressed, the brokenhearted and the captives-. The blog post “Actual Renewal and Repair After Capitol Breach” explored this vision and the work of the church after January 6, 2021.

Since then, we have learned how the assault on the U.S. Capitol was more than a one-day event to block the counting of electoral votes. It was an action planned and supported at the highest levels in an ongoing effort to dismantle our democratic system and overturn an election. We continue to see states and local governments around the country pass voting laws that support that aim, making participation in our democracy more difficult, particularly for people who are poor and communities of color.

ANTIDEMOCRATIC EXCLUSION

God calls us to the ministry of civic engagement as a vital aspect of discipleship that flows from our baptism. As Lutherans we affirm that “(t)he political health of our nation still suffers from the stain of antidemocratic exclusion. Efforts to restrict access to voting should be condemned and resisted,” (ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy,” p. 10). When individuals and communities of faith join efforts at the federal, state and local level to ensure voting rights and access to the ballot, this conviction is expressed. The ELCAvotes initiative will continue to provide focus and resources on civic engagement, voting rights and strengthening our democratic process for ELCA members and ministries as we head into the 2022 election year.

DISTORTION OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

The events of January 6 call us to speak in one voice condemning Christian nationalism as a distortion of the gospel of Jesus and a threat to American democracy. We are called to understand the ways that Christian nationalism is linked to white supremacy, present not only in the language and symbols in the crowd at the Capitol, but also ingrained in our churches and institutions. The ELCA presiding bishop participated in “Democracy and Faith Under Siege: Responding to Christian Nationalism” on Jan 27, 2021, part of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement that helps Christians identify and respond to the threat. This webinar and other resources are available for starting conversations and confronting expressions of white Christian nationalism in your church or community.

CONFRONTING DISINFORMATION

The Capitol siege was also made possible through the spread of disinformation as a political tactic, targeting people who have felt unseen and unserved by their government. It was intensified by narratives that persuaded Americans to believe that mob violence is an acceptable way to assert their views, with tragic losses of life and ongoing trauma for many.

Churches and faith leaders are still regarded as trustworthy sources of information. We have a unique responsibility for and reach into local communities. We need to use this access to push back against misinformation and teach non-violence even as we practice accompaniment by listening and respond to those who experience being cut off and cut out.

The ELCA social message “Government and Civic Engagement in the United States: Discipleship in a Democracy” states that “in a democracy, disorder and injustice have the potential to call forth civic engagement toward a constructive purpose” (p. 15). May this anniversary call forth in each of us new will and faithful ways to live our vocation of civic engagement through discipleship in our democracy, fostering a just society, ensuring the right to vote for everyone, and promoting active peacemaking.

December Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

Global Reports

Several global reports of interest were issued in November:

The Global Report on Internal Displacement 2021 focuses on “the relationship between climate change, disasters and displacement, and presents good practices from across the globe in advancing policy, displacement risk reduction and effective response.” The report summarized the global situation stating, “In 2020, conflict and disasters triggered 40.5 million new internal displacements across 149 countries and territories.”

The Congressional Research Service outlined the Global Economic Effects of COVID-19 in an update issued on November 10.

The Global State of Democracy Report 2021 lamented the facts that the “… world is becoming more authoritarian as non-democratic regimes become even more brazen in their repression and many democratic governments suffer from backsliding by adopting their tactics of restricting free speech and weakening the rule of law, exacerbated by what threatens to become a ‘new normal’ of Covid-19 restrictions. For the fifth consecutive year, the number of countries moving in an authoritarian direction exceeds the number of countries moving in a democratic direction. In fact, the number moving in the direction of authoritarianism is three times the number moving towards democracy.”

Arizona

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) – lamaz.org

Solveig Muus, Director

The LAMA policy council met in retreat this month to discern legislative policy priorities for 2022. The committee agreed the priorities for the coming year will be to continue building on LAMA’s early efforts in (1) Food Insecurity as it relates to the root causes of hunger, as well as (2) Civic Engagement as it relates to the ELCA being a publicly engaged church and the ELCA’s social teachings on educating, advocating, and engaging in our political process. The group was blessed, and the conversation enriched by the presence of the Rev. Amy Reumann, ELCA Senior Director, Witness in Society, who brought experience and insight, and helped the council to identify a framework for discernment in the future. Pr. Reumann also energized the participants at the LAMA Summit on Sunday, December 5 with her speech on “The 12 Things I know For Sure about Advocacy.”

LAMA looks ahead to the Arizona State Legislature convening on January 10. With a record number of shifts in the Arizona state house mid-term, the LAMA team has been busy connecting with Arizona’s 18 new and returning elected officials. Lutheran Advocacy Day at the legislature is set for Tuesday, February 1 from 8:30 – 10:30am in the Capitol Rose Garden. Many invitations have been extended, and LAMA expects to have several Arizona legislators on hand for its first advocacy day at the Capitol in more than 15 years. We pray for all government leaders as the 2022 session convenes, that they might work as one for the benefit of all God’s people.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

2022 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ADOPTED: The Policy Committee of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado has adopted its agenda for the 2022 legislative session. When the Colorado General Assembly returns in early January, LAM-CO will be prioritizing six key areas:

Fighting root causes of hunger & poverty
Promoting access to safe, stable housing
Addressing sentencing in the criminal justice system
Protecting public health
Supporting the needs of refugees
Caring for the environment & energy transition

You can see our agenda in more detail at rmselca.org/colorado-advocacy-agenda. Once the session begins, key legislation and Action Alerts will be listed in detail on our website and shared through our e-news and social media platforms.

LUTHERAN DAY AT THE CAPITOL: We invite all advocates to mark your calendar for Lutheran Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 17, 2022. The event will take place at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the Colorado State Capitol, with a virtual option available for our morning programming. Local guidelines may change, but we anticipate good opportunities for people to meet their legislators face to face at the Capitol and advocate on key legislative issues.

More details will be coming soon to our website!

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Federal Infrastructure Bill: The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, passed at the federal level, promises significant influxes of funds to Minnesota. Through various meetings and hearings, we’ve been trying to learn how the provisions will impact Minnesota and the programs we believe are important. The next step is to predict what it will mean for the upcoming legislative session.

The process for distribution to states includes a complicated set of formulas, competitive grants, and required state matches. If Minnesota does not act to apply or provide matching dollars, funds could go to other states. While much of the money is designated for transportation, including roads, bridges, and transit, there are categories which address clean energy, grid modernization, and other climate-focused concerns.

Unfortunately, predictions differ, so we still have much to learn, especially within the narrow areas impacting our clean energy and climate work.

Budget Surplus: The latest budget forecast for Minnesota predicts a $7.7 billion surplus. That could make a significant difference in transitioning to a clean energy economy or go a long way toward addressing Minnesota’s affordable housing crisis. Or it could get diverted into other legislative priorities. Previously, surpluses have caused more legislative fighting than normal years. Even if our priorities get new appropriations, we will want to monitor appropriations and usage. Sometimes the quantity of available dollars can overshadow the quality of how it is used.

Our Website: Rachel Wyffels has been redesigning and simplifying the look of our website. Watch for the launch soon at www.lutheranadvocacymn.org.

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

It has been a busy year in Texas with the Texas Legislature convening their regular 140 day legislative session followed by three special sessions, concluding in October. Following the Texas Legislature concluding for the year, Texas faith communities began to focus on responding to the efforts to suppress votes. Texas Impact joined the Brennan Center’s lawsuit against the Texas voting bill and hosted an “All Hands on Deck for Democracy” event to help congregations prepare to support the Texas election infrastructure in 2022. Almost 150 Texans of faith attended.

In addition, Texas Impact amplified support of ELCA priorities in the Build Back Better Act, hosting John Johnson on Texas Impact’s Weekly Witness podcast to talk about the bill and encourage Texans of faith to act.

Texas Impact’s delegation to COP26, including Hunger Advocacy Fellow Isa Peterson participated in the work for climate justice in Glasgow and are continuing to help engage Texans of faith in the continued work in their own communities.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Co-Director Rev. Paul Benz’s Retirement – from Paul: Been a great ride of first being the director of Lutheran Public Policy Office (LPPO) for 10 years (ELCA state office) and then very proud to be a part of the visionary effort to merge LPPO and the WAC (WA Association of Churches) into FAN (Faith Action Network) – which the ELCA advocacy leadership fully backed 10 years ago and still do!! For which I am very grateful! As an interfaith advocacy organization and also an ELCA state office we have the opportunity to keep and expand our voices for justice not only in the ELCA here in WA state but amongst all other Christian denominations, our Jewish & Muslim neighbors, and other religious communities – which we have done with our Buddhist and Sikh neighbors. I am grateful for the ELCA’s continued support to do this important work of advocating for social justice in the halls of power.

FAN Annual Dinner: We are full of gratitude for a successful Annual Dinner on November 21! We gathered virtually and in small watch parties with over 400 advocates across the state to celebrate our 10th birthday, Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. With thanks to our sponsors, yearly denominational sustainers like the WA state ELCA synods and the national ELCA World Hunger Grant, and matching sponsor Rick Steves, we raised over $130,000 for the work ahead.

2022 Legislative Session: The 2022 WA State legislative session will take place January 10 – March 10. FAN will host two Pre-Session Trainings in early January in partnership with Paths to Understanding to prepare advocates for the virtual session, share our legislative priorities, and dive deeper into issue topics. Then we will host a virtual Interfaith Advocacy Day on February 10 with opportunities for advocates to meet with their legislators by district, as well as an Eastern Washington Legislative Conference on January 22 with partners in Spokane.

November Update: UN and State Edition

U.N. | Colorado | Minnesota | Texas | Washington

U.N.

Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. – ELCA.org/lowc

Dennis Frado, Director

The General Assembly’s Third Committee held its annual dialogues with special human rights mandate holders and others. Of particular interest were:

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, spotlighted the gender related killing of women, also known as femicide. She urged countries to use the femicide watch initiative to gather data and report annually.
The Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Gladys Acosta Vargas, underscored the distressing situation of women facing the threat of sexual violence in conflict, human trafficking, sex-based discrimination, socioeconomic injustices and humanitarian emergencies.
Special Rapporteurs on internal displacement, human trafficking and modern slavery all issued warnings that the number of people forcibly displaced within their own countries due to conflict is now at the highest on record, at 48 million.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also appealed to governments for international solidarity. He reported that conflict continues to be the main driver of displacement and emphasized that “We must never forget that nobody wants to live with the anxiety of exile”. He also highlighted the reality of climate-related displacement.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, sounded the alarm on femicide, enforced disappearances and discrimination against vulnerable groups which continues to flourish in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change crisis.
The Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples highlighted the causes and consequences of urbanization and the racial discrimination, poverty, and stigmatization that Indigenous Peoples living in urban areas face. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, presented on the role of organized criminal groups in contemporary forms of slavery, and the Chairperson of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, stressed that “Systemic racism is a public health crisis, just as COVID 19 has become a racialized crisis”. She highlighted how people of African descent face racism and structural discrimination worldwide and underlined that “human rights are for everybody”.
The Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Myanmar, reported “the overall situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate sharply, with conflict intensifying in many parts of the country.  “Repression by the military has led to more than 1,180 deaths,”.  She further highlighted the challenges and heightened suffering of already vulnerable communities, especially the Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, said that “increased attacks by the military junta have taken place against the backdrop of a grossly disproportionate response by the international community”.

Colorado

Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) – lam-co.org

Peter Severson, Director

ELECTION DAY RESULTS: Coloradans voted on three statewide ballot measures on Election Day, November 2, and all were defeated. LAM-CO opposed all three because we believe there are more just and equitable legislative pathways to accomplish some of these ideas.

We can increase the accountability of custodial spending, but we don’t need to require every dollar to go through an inefficient and cumbersome bureaucratic process in order to be spent.

We can boost tutoring and after-school learning opportunities, but we don’t need to create a separate program outside of the Department of Education, funded by vice taxes.

We can provide targeted relief to property tax-payers who most need it, but we don’t need an across-the-board cut that will hurt local services while benefiting the wealthiest property owners the most.

The results are below:

Amendment 78, Legislative Authority for Spending State Money
- YES: 43.6%
- NO: 56.4%
Proposition 119, Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program
- YES: 45.6%
- NO: 54.4%
Proposition 120, Property Tax Assessment Rate Reduction
- YES: 43.4%
- NO: 56.6%

Picture of the front of a church building. In front of the building are trees in sunlight showing off the red and orange colors of the leaves.

Happy Autumn from the Rocky Mountain Synod Office of the Bishop

Minnesota

Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) – lutheranadvocacymn.org

Tammy Walhof, Director

Lutheran Advocacy-Minnesota recently took part in the decision-making process for the 2022 policy agenda of Homes for All, a statewide coalition of 240+ endorsing organizations that advocates for housing stability for all Minnesotans. Tammy Walhof and Rachel Wyffles listened to 26 policy proposals over two days and scored each according to criteria that evaluated urgent need and effectiveness. LA-MN then participated in two sessions of discussion in which scored proposals were considered in the context of Homes for All’s five policy buckets: Build more, equitable access and fair treatment, housing stability/anti-displacement, preserve the homes we have, and wealth building. We had great discussions throughout the process, and we look forward to working towards these priorities in the 2022 legislative session!

LA-MN is also contributing to discussions around clean energy with our environmental coalition partners as they decide on priorities for the 2022 legislative session. They are looking towards smaller, more project-based priorities for the 2022 session.

Wyffles had the opportunity to speak to 110 youth from around the country who were gathered at the ELCA Youth Leadership Summit in Minneapolis. She spoke about what advocacy is, gave context for how advocacy is an integral part of Lutheran faith, and provided ideas for how to incorporate advocacy in youth ministry. The youth were an insightful and inspiring group, asking great questions and expressing enthusiasm for getting involved with the ELCA Advocacy Network in their own states.

Texas

Texas Impact – texasimpact.org

Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

It has been a busy year in Texas with the Texas Legislature convening their regular 140 day legislative session followed by three special sessions, concluding in October. The third special session focused on redistricting, spending American Rescue Plan Act funds, anti-trans legislation, critical race theory and a failed attempt to ban vaccine requirements by statute. The work continues to equip and mobilize Texans of faith to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team and Legislative Engagement Groups.

Plans are underway to host an election training to help congregations understand how the new voting laws will impact their communities and to share best practices for congregations to support local infrastructure. Texas Impact also sent a delegation to COP26 in Glasgow with plans to report back to Texas congregations.

Washington

Faith Action Network (FAN) – fanwa.org

Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

FAN Annual Dinner We will host our annual fundraising celebration virtually on Sunday, November 21 to celebrate our 10th birthday, Rev. Paul Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. Advocates across the state will be joining us online, with the option to gather in small COVID-safe watch parties. You’re welcome to join from your state – register here to receive the event link: bit.ly/FANDinner2021

Statewide Policy With the help of our Economic Justice team leaders, FAN sent many advocates across the state to virtual Tax Town Halls led by the state Tax Structure Work Group to envision a new way forward for a fair taxation system in WA State. The Department of Revenue also hosted listening sessions on the implementation of the newly-funded Working Families Tax Credit, which FAN has advocated for in many sessions. The statewide eviction moratorium ended on October 31 despite calls for a continued extension by many organizations and individuals. We will continue to work with cities to extend their moratoriums and provide eviction prevention measures and rental assistance as families recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Welcoming New Staff We welcomed two new staff to the FAN team – Elizabeth Dickinson is our Partnership Coordinator who will be working with our Network of Advocating Faith Communities, and Juli Prentice is our Outreach and Organizing Intern through Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry. We look forward to the fresh energy they will bring to our outreach and organizing!

October Updates: UN and State Edition

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC), United Nations, New York, N.Y. ELCA.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in partnership with the World Council of Churches, ACT Church of Sweden, ACT Alliance, Finn Church Aid, Mission 21, and Norwegian Church Aid held the Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Training virtually from 7-9 September 2021. LOWC Program Director Christine Mangale joined LWF colleagues in the planning and facilitation of the training. This year, nearly 60 delegates from faith-based organizations participated in a Training of Trainers (ToT) focusing on advocacy at local and regional levels and strengthening networking and collaboration. Topics discussed during the training included:

“how to design and facilitate a regional training”;
“instruments on gender justice advocacy”;
“how to report on human rights in different contexts”;
“the role of faith-based organizations in gender justice advocacy”;
“how to counter backlashes and address challenges,”
“human rights’ language;”
“gender-based violence in the context of COVID-19”;
“safety and security relating to advocacy on women’s human rights”; as well as
“designing faith-based advocacy”.

The participants are then to take part in designing and leading a regional pilot project, starting with a virtual training in Africa to be held October 11-18, 2021. A LWF resource for faith-based organizations on affirming women’s human rights can be found here.

Arizona
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA) lamaz.org – Solveig Muus, Director

This is an exciting time for LAMA! Readers may know the LAMA office of the Grand Canyon Synod launched the same month that COVID-19 launched, so our efforts to connect with congregations, legislators and community have, from the jump, been exclusively virtual. But now happily, congregations are beginning to invite Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona into their communities, both virtually and in person – respectfully distanced! – and we are grateful to be making these wonderful connections through preaching and joining forums and groups, all to share our advocacy message.

LAMA’s annual retreat will be in person this year, and we are pleased to be joined by the Rev. Amy Reumann, Director of Advocacy for the ELCA. Pr. Reumann will also be the keynote speaker at the annual LAMA Summit for congregational liaisons and advocates on Sunday, December 5 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, Arizona.

LAMA’s first Lutheran Day at the Legislature is set for Tuesday, February 1, 2022 in the Rose Garden at the State Capitol in Phoenix. We welcome this opportunity to gather, to meet legislators, and to voice our common needs in the public square, activating our faith in love.

In addition, the Grand Canyon Synod has launched a new Hunger Leaders Network for hunger champions across the synod to connect, hear about hunger resources both locally and churchwide, share stories, and learn and grow together. The Hunger Leaders Network group meets monthly and is ably chaired by Melanie Hobden.

Colorado
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Colorado (LAM-CO) lam-co.org – Peter Severson, Director

BALLOT MEASURES: Coloradans will have three statewide ballot measures on which to vote on November 2. Check out the LAM-CO 2021 Voter Guide for our analysis and recommendations! It’s available online at www.rmselca.org/ColoradoBallot2021

LEGISLATIVE FOLLOW UP: The State of Colorado is working on implementing important legislation that was passed in our 2021 session. This includes important protections for agricultural workers, who were brought under the protections of the Colorado Labor Peace Act of 1943 for the very first time. This will include overtime pay, rest breaks, minimum wage, and others. We are working on supporting the implementation process and making sure that the state fulfills its obligations under the new law, particularly around the bills’ mandated “meaningful overtime protections.” A public hearing on this issue is upcoming on November 1.

Check out our 2021 Legislative Wrap-up for all the details on the bills we worked on this year!

DIRECTOR’S SABBATICAL: LAM-CO Director Peter Severson took a sabbatical rest from June 19 to September 19. With gratitude for the experience of restoration and refreshment, he’s back in the office and ready to lead our work this fall!

Ohio
Hunger Network Ohio hungernetwork.org – Nick Bates, Director

Faith community speaks out against the death penalty

The Hunger Network in Ohio hosted a panel on the Death Penalty on October 11 with Southern Ohio Synod Bishop Suzanne Dillahunt and in partnership with the Ohio Council of Churches and Ohioans to Stop Executions as part of a faith advocacy week toward the abolition of the death penalty in Ohio.

Bishop Dillahunt shared the ELCA’s commitment to justice as expressed in our ELCA social statement on the issue prior to hearing from legislators and co-victims. We are grateful for the leadership of HB183 sponsor Rep. Adam Miller (D-Columbus) and co-sponsor Rep. Laura Lanese (R-Grove City) for joining us on the call to share their perspective from the Ohio House of Representatives.

We are hopeful that this legislation will move over the next few months, but we need advocates to keep up the pressure! You can act now by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper.

Click here to send a letter to the editor of your paper!

You can watch the forum and hear the powerful impact stories on our Facebook page here.

Screenshot of Bishop Dillahunt.

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) lutheranadvocacymn.org – Tammy Walhof, Director

Rent Help MN logo

Housing Crisis: Although significant COVID- related funding was set aside to address the impending eviction crisis, many renters have had difficulty accessing the help. The Minnesota Eviction Moratorium has now ended, and landlords can evict tenets. If you know someone behind in rent or facing eviction due to the pandemic, please help them access and navigate RentHelpMN.org!

Preparing for the Next Legislative Session: A big part of our fall typically includes educating congregations about our work and meeting with coalition partners.

pre-pandemic Walhof standing at a podium speaking animatedly

Walhof presenting pre-pandemic

We have been in many meetings with the Energy Cluster of Minnesota Environmental Partnership to consider legislation, and plan future options for long-term impact. Additionally, the Homes for All Coalition is collecting proposals that we will review in coalition Policy Team meetings.

The education pieces are more difficult due to the pandemic. Walhof and Rachel Wyffles, LA-MN’s Hunger Advocacy Fellow, are both willing to present or preach in churches if mask-wearing and vaccinations are taken seriously. We have also been brainstorming and working on videos, webinars, and studies. What does your congregation need?

Upcoming Events: Some of our partners are doing webinar events that match our priorities closely, so we encourage participation in the events listed below:

Webinar Series on Affordable Housing & Homelessness (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition). Monthly through February. November 4 focus – Homelessness. Information/Registration
“Hunger at the Crossroads” Webinar Series (ELCA World Hunger). October 27 focus – Hunger & Climate Change. Information/Registration
International Climate Conference – Pre-COP26 Conversation (Fresh Energy). October 26 focus – How Minnesota fits. Information/Registration

Texas
Texas Impact texasimpact.org – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The Texas Legislature began a third called special session September 20 focused on redistricting, spending American Rescue Plan Act funds, anti-trans legislation, and banning vaccine requirements. Through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team, and Legislative Engagement Groups, we continue to work to equip and mobilize Texans of faith and to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature. In addition, Texas Impact hosted a Redistricting 101 webinar and a briefing with state budget experts on the process for appropriating Texas’ $16M in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

Texas Impact also partnered with the ELCA’s own John Johnson on a Weekly Witness episode focused on the Build Back Better Agenda and a training for advocates to meet with South Texas members of Congress on the Build Back Better legislation.

Washington
Faith Action Network (FAN) fanwa.org – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

Moving Forward with Gratitude invite

FAN Annual Dinner: We will host our annual fundraising celebration virtually on Sunday, November 21 to celebrate our 10th birthday, the Rev. Paul Benz’s years of service, and our shared future. Advocates across the state will be joining us online, with the option to gather in small COVID-safe watch parties. You are welcome to join from your state!

Cluster Meetings: FAN hosts Fall Cluster Meetings as a way to gather with advocates in their local areas, learn about the issues that matter in their region, and build momentum for our work together. We are hosting 11 geographic clusters via Zoom around the state, and have heard from advocates on issues of housing, homelessness, taxation, food, climate and energy, immigration, refugees, and police reform.

Tax Town Halls and Candidate Forums: With our economic justice work group, we have been sending advocates to statewide Taxation Town Halls hosted by the legislature’s Tax Structure Work Group. The state of Washington has one of the most regressive tax systems in the nation, so it is vital that we move forward to restructure our tax system to be more equitable. FAN is co-hosting candidate forums across the state, with coalition partners, to hear from local candidates on critical issues of policing, housing, and immigration.

Boarding Schools: FAN’s Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities issued a statement signed by the three ELCA bishops in Washington regarding U.S. Boarding School history. We also signed on in support of the Truth and Healing Commission Act reintroduced in Congress.

Wisconsin
Lutheran Public Policy Office – Wisconsin (LOPPW) loppw.org – Cindy Crane, Director

John Johnson

Wednesday Noon Live interview with John Johnson, ELCA Program Director for Domestic Policy. Johnson discussed domestic policy to support people experiencing poverty and the recent White House visit of Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the ELCA and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of The Episcopal Church. We highlighted extending the Child Tax Credit (CTC). We have additional information on the CTC under Hunger on our website and via this Action Alert.

Anti-Sex Trafficking
Shirley Paulson, retired educator and former president of the Women of the ELCA of East Central Synod of Wisconsin, and the Rev. Cindy Crane, the director of LOPPW, testified on SB 245, which looks to make it so that anyone under the age of 18 may not be prosecuted for prostitution. At the hearing, there were several disturbing stories of trafficked youth who were afraid they would be charged with a crime if they called the police due to the current laws in place.

The left image is of a Shirley Paulson sitting at the end of a long wooden table. The top right image shows two women looking at each other, sitting in the same position. The bottom right image shows Cindy Crane standing, speaking to someone not shown in the image.

Left Image: Shirley Paulson
Bottom Right Image: Cindy Crane

It sometimes takes many years to pass a bill. We have been supporting this one for quite a few years now, but it is closer to passing.

Look forward to action alerts on SB 245 and for another significant bill on expulsion of crimes for adult victims of sex trafficking.

Juvenile Justice
Our Raise the Age Coalition is reaching out to businesses to support our efforts to return 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system. Recently, members of our steering committee met with the president of Wisconsin Manufacturing & Commerce to discuss this issue.

Settling Afghan Refugees
We have supported the Welcoming Evacuees Coming from Overseas to Mitigate Effects of Displacement Act of 2021, also known as the WELCOMED Act with our Action Alert.

Care for God’s Creation
Pr. Crane will be at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Conference of the Parties, known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland!

Introducing 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows

Advocacy happens through resilience and relationships. The Hunger Advocacy Fellows program, currently in its fifth year, is made possible by ELCA World Hunger. It is a year-long transformative experience that combines leadership development, faith formation, and impactful advocacy that moves us toward an end to hunger and a just world where all are fed.

Hunger Advocacy Fellows are placed with different ELCA-affiliated state public policy offices across the country where they can engage on issues affecting both local and national policy. We are excited to introduce below our 2021-2022 Hunger Advocacy Fellows:

Hannah Peterson (she/her)

Hannah Peterson is currently serving with Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry New Jersey in Hamilton Square, New Jersey. She recently graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in History and Literature, following her undergraduate degree from St. John’s College. Peterson’s internships at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and the National Museum of American History inspired her passion for identifying stories that have not yet been told and lifting up the voices of those in need. She hopes to continue her work building connections between people of different faiths, traditions, and backgrounds.

Isa Peterson (she/her or they/them)

Isa Peterson is currently serving with Texas Impact in Austin, Texas. She is a born and raised Texan from San Antonio and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Government and Sustainability Studies and a minor in Portuguese. Before joining Texas Impact, she spent her undergraduate years working for environmental nonprofits in Austin, such as Rainforest Partnership and the Shoal Creek Conservancy, advocating for environmental change and urban conversation. Peterson hopes to continue their career focused on the intersection of environmental and social policy during their time with Texas Impact and beyond.

Sandra Roper (she/her)

Sandra Roper is currently serving with the ELCA advocacy staff in Washington, D.C. She recently graduated from the University of Maryland (UMD) with degrees in English and Germanic Studies. Her interest in faith-based advocacy was shaped by Humble Walk, the Lutheran campus ministry at UMD. Roper has interned for the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod and Lutheran World Federation, and has volunteered with Lutheran Disaster Response, Puerto Rico. She hopes to continue building relationships and learning different ways to live her faith in action.

Rachel Wyffels (she/her)

Rachel Wyffels is currently serving with Lutheran Advocacy Minnesota in St Paul. She is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College where she majored in music and religion. While there, Wyffels was president of the St. Olaf Student Congregation Council and played violin in the St. Olaf Orchestra. She is excited for a year of building relationships to advocate for affordable housing, climate justice, and poverty reduction. Following this fellowship year, Wyffels anticipates beginning seminary.

September Update: UN and State Edition

U.N.
Lutheran Office for World Community, United Nations, New York, N.Y. https://www.elca.org/lowc – Dennis Frado, Director

The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will open on Tuesday, 14 September 2021, followed by the high-level General Debate from 21-27 September. The President-elect of the 76th session is H.E. Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of the Maldives. Once again, the UN is taking extraordinary measures to both meet but take pre-cautions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Heads of state and government are being encouraged to send video-taped messages for the general debate and the US Ambassador H.E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield took the usual step of saying that sending videos rather than attending personally “… would help prevent it [the General Debate] ‘from being a super-spreader event’”.

Alongside the General Debate two high-level meetings are planned:

High-level meeting to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action: Wednesday, 22 September 2021; and
High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: Tuesday, 28 September 2021.

A third High-level meeting, on the Global Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons, will occur on Monday, 22 November and Tuesday, 23 November 2021.

On August 2nd, the UN General Assembly voted unanimously to create the United Nations Permanent Forum of People of African Descent. The Forum, a ten-member advisory body, will work with the UN Human Rights Council and “ … contribute to the elaboration of a UN declaration – a ‘first step towards a legally binding instrument’ on the promotion and full respect of the rights of people of African descent.”

“The move [by the General Assembly] comes just days after the Human Rights Council established a panel of experts to investigate systemic racism in policing against people of African descent, and on the heels of a report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), prompted by the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.” The first meeting of the Forum will take place in 2022.

Minnesota
Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LAMN) http://www.lutheranadvocacymn.org/– Tammy Walhof, Director

Staffing Addition: We are excited to welcome Rachel Wyffels as our new ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow! Wyffels is a recent graduate of St. Olaf College, where she majored in religion and music, and served as president of the Student Congregation for two years. Hunger Advocacy Fellows are made possible through ELCA World Hunger and ELCA Advocacy.

MN Senate Leadership Changes: Both Sen. Paul Gazelka (R), Senate Majority Leader, and Sen. Susan Kent (DFL), Senate Minority Leader, resigned their leadership roles in the Minn. state senate. Sen. Kent stepped down to prioritize family. Sen. Melisa López Franzen (DFL) was elected as the new minority leader (and the first person of color to serve as senate minority leader). Sen. Jeremy Miller (R) was elected as the new majority leader to replace Sen. Gazelka, who announced his candidacy for governor. Sen. Gazelka joins a crowded Republican field, including Sen. Michelle Benson, Sen. Scott Jensen, Mayor Mike Murphy, Dr. Neil Shah, and Mike Marti. The Republican nominee will run against incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (DFL), who is expected to seek a second term.

MN Synod EcoFaith Retreat: We were pleased to join leaders from the Northeastern Minnesota (NEMN) Synod EcoFaith Network and other synod creation care efforts from across the state for a leadership retreat at Camp Hiawatha. It focused on addressing needs of congregations/church leaders in integrating creation care, and action addressing the climate crisis. We encourage you to follow Green Blades Rising to keep updated on the activities of the NEMN Synod EcoFaith Network.

Ohio
Hunger Network in Ohio https://www.hungernetohio.com/ – Nick Bates, Director

As redistricting debates heats up, we are grateful for faith leaders who offer testimony to make sure our legislative districts represent our communities. HNO director Nick Bates offered testimony on Sept. 14 in Columbus about the divisions of the Hilltop community. Similarly, the Rev. Seth Bridger offered testimony in Cleveland the evening before.

Death Penalty: Please join us on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. for a conversation about the death penalty in Ohio with faith and legislative leaders. Register online for this virtual event. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMofu-przMoGdTMqvlphegAhpQ4YTf7dBza

Texas
Texas Impact https://texasimpact.org/ – Scott Atnip, Outreach Director

The Texas Legislature completed their second called special session with a third scheduled to begin Sept. 20. Following a “Let My People Vote” rally at the Capitol featuring Bishop Sue Briner of the Southwestern Texas Synod and about 500 Texans of faith rallying for voting rights, Texas Impact continued to equip and mobilize Texans of faith around priority legislation in the second special session. The Legislature passed several bills monitored by Texans of faith, including on voter suppression, Critical Race Theory, border militarization, and more. The third special session will focus on redistricting, appropriating American Rescue Plan Act funds and bills, and discriminating against transgender children.

The work continues to equip and mobilize Texans of faith to help them understand what is happening in their Texas Legislature through ongoing programming, including the Weekly Witness podcast, Rapid Response Team, and Legislative Engagement Groups. Special opportunities are planned for September, including a Redistricting 101 webinar and a briefing with state budget experts on the process for appropriating Texas’ $16M in federal ARPA funds.

Finally, the Texas Impact team was excited to welcome Isabelle “Isa” Peterson as a Hunger Advocacy Fellow for the year! Peterson is a recent graduate of UT-Austin, and a member of Zion Lutheran Church in San Antonio.

Washington
Faith Action Network https://www.fanwa.org/ – Paul Benz and Elise DeGooyer, Co-Directors

New Policy Engagement Director – Kristin Ang! We are delighted to announce our new Policy Engagement Director, Kristin Ang, who begins work with FAN on Oct.4. Ang brings policy leadership experience as a Port Commissioner for Tacoma, along with experiences as an immigrant, Filipina American, lawyer, and collaborator in interfaith circles in Pierce County. She will bring these gifts to FAN along with a spiritual grounding in compassion and justice. FAN advocates will get to meet Ang during the fall months as she learns about our network during cluster gatherings, as well as our coalition partners, alongside FAN staff.

Advocating for a Just Budget Resolution Package The House and Senate have passed the budget resolution which is the framework for the $3.5T social infrastructure bill/Build Back Better. Now the hard work begins in committees of jurisdiction to start building this enormous funding proposal. It is facing opposition by big business and corporations, coordinated by the US Chamber of Commerce, so FAN is urging our network to advocate for critical pieces of this package, including rental assistance, housing, the Expanded Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. See the letter FAN signed onto with national partners here: https://airtable.com/shrFCsyJdU5poVTtm.

Cluster Meetings FAN hosts Fall Cluster Meetings as a way to gather with advocates in their local areas, learn about the issues that matter in their region, and build momentum for our work together. Most Clusters will be hosted online due to COVID concerns.

Wisconsin
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin (LOPPW) https://www.loppw.org/ – Cindy Crane, Director

Wednesday Noon Live interview with Vance Blackfox, Desk Director for American Indian Alaska Native Tribal Nations.
Blackfox included important info on what congregations can do.

Medicaid and the Child Tax Credit
LOPPW interviewed Researcher and Health Policy Programs Director Donna Friedsam of the Institute for Research on Poverty at UW-Madison to explore both sides of the debate on Medicaid expansion in Wisconsin.
We encouraged members to contact their U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators while they were back in district. We focused the Medicaid Saves Lives Act BadgerCare and expanding the Child Tax Credit beyond 2021.
We also are advocating to make the 2021 Child Tax Credit known to people who qualify for the refundable credit but haven’t received it yet and need to fill out a non-filer form. People can use posters and handouts we created from our website.

Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Biblical Justice Forum: LOPPW’s director led a workshop on lifting our public voices rooted in our Christian and Lutheran tradition at Luther Park in Chetek.

Juvenile Justice
Our Raise the Age Coalition, with a focus on returning 17-year-old youth to the juvenile justice system, interviewed a new intern to continue some of the work that our former Hunger Advocacy Fellow, Kyle Minden, did. Keiko Engel, a senior in social work at UW-Madison, was hired by the Sentencing Project. Her direct supervisor is a coalition member from the Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agencies. LOPPW is also helping Engel to get on board.