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7/29/2019 UMW 2012 Legislative Agenda
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United Methodist Womens Legislative Agenda 2012
There are more than 100,000 members of United Methodist Women in Texas. At their
annual legislative conference, UMW members from all seven of Texas United Methodist
Annual Conferences adopt a consensus legislative agenda reflecting their priority legislative
concerns. United Methodist Women was established in 1865. United Methodist Women place
particular emphasis on issues impacting the well-being of women, children and youth.
For more information about United Methodist Women in Texas or this legislative agenda, contact any of
the following UMW Social Action Coordinators:
Lori Stafford 214-649-2233 lstaf@sbcglobal.net
Judy Wiggins 806-895-4648 wigginsjudy54@yahoo.com
Frances Curry 432-940-4587 jfcurry@prodigy.net
Terry Schoenert 210-601-2800 terry.schoenert@gmail.com
Denise DuBois 979-575-4098 duboisdc@aol.com
Sonia Cruz 210-371-4433 cross_river66@yahoo.com
Susan Nix 682-429-4755 susannix@sbcglobal.net!!
State Budget
We affirm that the state budget is underfunded, structurally unsound, and insufficient to meet the needs of the
people of Texas. We are especially concerned that the education budget is woefully underfunded. Texas
needs a public school budget that fully funds enrollment growth, guarantees funding to implement state
educational requirements, and fulfills Texas constitutional mandate to provide free public schools. A
generation of litigation has squandered the publics resources and must end. Texas needs a real budget to
meet our real needs, even if it takes new revenue.
Immigration
Texas must use our limited state law enforcement resources to keep Texas communities safe, not to enforce
federal civil immigration laws. The Legislature must avoid wasting valuable time debating punitive stateimmigration policies that have little or no chance of actual implementation. We call on Texas legislators to
use their influence in encouraging the Texas Congressional delegation to enact compassionate federal
immigration reform.
Predatory Lending
The Legislature should build on the foundation of sensible regulation of payday and auto-title lending
established in 2011 and work to eliminate the cycle of debt in the 2013 legislative session through strategies
such as limiting rollovers, capping fees and allowing partial payments.
Health and Wellness
Legislators should maintain and strengthen Medicaid and CHIP, and ensure that Texans receive themaximum benefit due them through the provisions of the Affordable Care Act such as access to affordable
private health insurance. Lawmakers should renew and strengthen initiatives to improve Texans health and
wellness through nutrition and preventive health programs.
Women and Youth in the Criminal Justice System
We call on legislators to guarantee humane treatment for all Texans caught up in the states criminal justice
system, especially the most vulnerable, including women, children and youth. We urge the Legislature to
increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for offenders. We are concerned about
disproportionately punitive treatment of youthful nonviolent offenders, and we urge legislators to reward
prudence and wisdom in ticketing, sentencing and incarceration of juveniles.
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