This is how we lobby.
Policy affects every single person you know.
That’s why we’re in this for the long haul - with you.
And that is why this work is so important. People across Maine - regardless of their political beliefs - need access to safe and affordable reproductive healthcare, the economic security offered by paid family and medical leave, the right to work free from fear and harassment, and more.
Part of how we get there is through legislation and policy, which helps us to build programs and efforts that move the needle on gender equity over time.
Here are some things we consider when we decide on our priorities for the legislative session:
Does the proposal align with our areas of focus, our biennial Policy Roadmap, and our strategic plan?
Does this proposal support people who experience a higher impact from misogyny, racism, or other forms of oppression? Does it center and amplify the voices and experiences of people who are most affected?
Are we a credible advocate for this proposal? Will our involvement have a meaningful impact on the proposal or help our partners?
Is this proposal appropriate to the current local, state, or national context?
Do we have the resources and capacity to support this proposal?
Once we decide on our priorities, we get to work! Here are some tools we use to get there. We hope you use them, too!
Maine’s citizen legislature are regular Maine people just like us. They want to hear from you - the people who are impacted by their work in the legislature. This toolkit helps you take action on the issues that are important to you! These actions are a great way to help legislators learn more about people’s needs across Maine, and they help bring attention to important issues.
There are hundreds of bills each session - and that can feel overwhelming! Don’t worry - we got you. We’re tracking all of the bills that are important to creating a more gender-just Maine for all of us. The tracker lists the bills and where they are in the legislative process so you can follow what is important to you in real time. Take a gander and sign up for our newsletter to learn when to take action!
These reports highlight the results of our priority bills each session. We share what each bill does, why it matters, and the final outcome. We also provide how each legislator voted so you can have how your legislator voted on bills you care about at your fingertips. Gender equitable public policy depends on legislators who make gender justice a priority, and on engaged constituents advocating for progress.
If you’re curious about how we testified on a given bill, you can take a look at our Testimony Archive! The archive lists our testimony by date, and includes the LD number and the title of each bill.
Our weekly legislative round-up gives you the scoop on what’s happening under the dome, tracks bills, shares the weekly schedule, and highlightts feminist actions acros the state.