Upload
explicitatheist
View
218
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
1/19
We want secular
Marland government
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
2/19
Maryland lobbyists Marland Catholic Conference Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of
Washington Christian Science Committee on
Publication for Maryland
Baltimore Washington Conference of theUnited Methodist Church
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
3/19
Maryland lobbyists (cont.) General Board of Church on Society of
the United Methodist Church Maryland Right to Life Baltimore Jewish Council Maryland Interfaith Legislative
Committee (MILC) Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry
of Maryland
Etc.
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
4/19
Do they want seculargovernment?
They want "non-sectarian" government They equate non-sectarianism with
Christian friendly monotheism They consider polytheism and atheism to
be inferior and foreign
They claim secular government would beantagonistic to religion They prefer government establishment
of monotheism
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
5/19
Who lobbies for a secularMaryland government?
ACLU? Not (yet) against establishment ofmonotheism
?
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
6/19
Conclusions Secularists are not speaking out for
secular government and therefore are notbeing heard in Annapolis
Secularism is good, therefore our silenceis bad
Our anti-secularist competitors arelobbying and are being heard
We can, and should, make ourselvesheard in Annapolis
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
7/19
Secular Coalition for Maryland Keep track of ongoing legislative activity Research statutes, regulations, outcomes,
enforcement, relevant history Respond to legislative activity with press
releases
Distribute secular policy guide tolawmakers and regulators Make it easier for you to let your elected
officials know what we want
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
8/19
SCMD future goals Go on the offensive and lobby to change
existing laws Replace unfair non-sectarian standard
with a non-discrimination standard Amend Declaration of Rights to conform
with 1961 Supreme Court decision Dozens of revisions are needed to
secularize Maryland government
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
9/19
What you can do now Register to receive news from the SCMD
http://www.secular.org Join the Secular Coalition of America Ask your secularist group to support the
SCMD
The SCMD needs volunteers to contributeto the lobbying efforts
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
10/19
If you do not live in Maryland Every state and the District of Columbia
has its own Secular Coalitionhttp://states.secular.org
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
11/19
Maryland government 101 The 141 Delegates and 47 Senators are in
session from January to Early April eachyear
Bills are referred to committee after firstreading, amended by voting duringsecond reading, voted up or down afterthird reading
Original chamber votes again if secondchamber amended the bill
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
12/19
Maryland government (cont) If both chambers disagree then a
conference committee with 3 membersfrom each chamber negotiates commonbill which is voted in both chambers
Governor can veto bills until late May Three fifths vote in both chambers can
override veto (can occur following year)
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
13/19
Constitutional amendments
Amendments to the Constitution arepassed by the Maryland General Assemblyand placed on the ballot in the nextstatewide general election. If the votersapprove the constitutional amendment,the change becomes part of theConstitution
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
14/19
Regulations
State agencies write the regulations. Wecan lobby particular agencies forrevisions or improvements to theirpublished regulations.
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
15/19
SCMD needs volunteers to: Build a coalition of participating,
endorsing, and allied organizations, singleissue agreement sufficient
Grow list of individual contacts Build relationships with lawmakers
Monitor legislation and regulation Opposition and other relevant research Meet with regulatory agency staff
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
16/19
SCMD needs volunteers (cont.) Fundraise for SCA on behalf of SCMD Social media outreach - Facebook, blogs,
etc. Submit comments for rule makers Write letters to the editor, op-eds
Advertising on radio, internet, t.v.,newspapers, magazines, billboards, etc. Etc.
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
17/19
SCMD Executive Committee Vacancies: Co-Chair, Communications
Chair, Tech Chair, Legislative Chair SCMD web site has issues Wiki, research
links, events, documents, etc.http://md.secular.org
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
18/19
Open Discussion Are there any state issues of particular
concern that you would like to see theSecular Coalition for Maryland focus on?
Are there any local issues that we shouldknow about?
8/13/2019 Secular Coalition for Maryland presentation for secularists
19/19
Lets be like this guy