Shared Legislation

NFWL Shared Legislation is not endorsed by NFWL Board or membership. This catalog is for elected women to share their personal legislation.

Shared Legislation Catalog

Pay Equity & Gender Equality

  • PR S805
    • Puerto Rico Senator and NFWL member Zoé Laboy passed a bill that creates a pilot program to establish a gender equality curriculum in elementary schools. She is asking for your support on February 15 for their social media initiative:
      #LegislatorsforGenderEquality.
  • NJ SB 104
    • Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso shared New Jersey’s passage of the The Diane Allen Equal Pay Act, the equal pay legislation named in honor of NFWL’s Board member,  former Senator of New Jersey, and champion of equal pay initiatives, Diane Allen.
  • NJ S 992
    • Senator Diane Allen, NFWL Board member, has been working on pay equity for years and recently co-sponsored this legislation during the 2017 session. She shared her story and efforts, and continually offers to work with fellow legislators to achieve equity in their states.
  • MA S.2119;  Chapter 177
    • Since signed by the Governor in 2016, this legislation, shared with NFWL by Representative Gloria Fox who excitedly shared the “First-ever law to abolish the use of salary history on job applications – helping everyone.” The Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, a bi-partisan, bicameral caucus consisting of the 50 elected women at the Massachusetts State House, voted to have the pay equity bill be their legislative priority for the 2015-2016 session. Lauren Scribi, the caucus’ Director connected with NFWL to say further, “There are many reasons why this bill was so successful. During the bill writing process and re-drafting of the bill in committees, all interested parties had a say. The Massachusetts Attorney General gave her input and the business community was allowed to weigh in – both the more liberal and conservative business groups. They focused on hosting informational events to educate legislators and staff about the realities of the gender wage gap.”
  • GA HB 345
    • Representative Park Cannon shared legislation she introduced in 2017 with Representative Karla Drenner to enact certain provisions that prohibit discrimination in payment of wages on the basis of the sex of an employee.

Children & Families

  • RI S2549
    • Councilwoman Suzanne Cienki shared legislation that passed in her state in 2016, telling NFWL that “This model legislation [was] recognized by Labor Secretary Perez and the Obama administration as the model The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) legislation in the country. This Sub A of the bill adds foster care to the definition of parental care for the purposes of FMLA.”
  • AR Act 952
    • Representative Charlotte Douglas of the Arkansas Legislature spoke to the group about a few initiatives she has supported. In 2015, she sponsored Act 952, which requires that a unit on dating violence be taught in grades 7-12 as part of the health curriculum. The unit will focus on healthy relationships and teach students the warning signs of dating violence and abusive behavior. She also sponsored legislation, now Act 873, known as Laura’s Card, which requires that law enforcement agencies give a victim or victim’s family a printed document that explains victim’s rights, information for assistance, and the officer’s contact information.

Criminal Justice Reform

  • IL HB5017
    • This bill, sponsored and shared by Representative Barbara Wheeler, passed in 2016 to amends the state’s Juvenile Court Act to allow a juvenile to petition the court at any time for expungement of law enforcement records and juvenile court records. Now Public Act 099-0835.
  • KY sessions
    • Councilwoman Tanya Seabrooks spoke about her work on establishing felony expungement informational sessions for job seekers, employers, and community leaders in her district of Radcliff, KY. The sessions provide critical opportunities for the disenfranchised and Councilwoman Seabrooks has been essential in expanding the opportunities for her constituents.
  • LA Act 262
    • Representative Julie Emerson spoke about her role in pushing for the 10-bill justice reform package that was passed into law. She specifically authored and introduced Act 262, which limits the ability of state occupational licensing authorities to deny otherwise qualified candidates on the basis of a previous criminal conviction.
  • WI SB 393
    • Representative Lisa Subeck spoke about Wisconsin SB 393 which would would restrict shackling of incarcerated women during labor and childbirth and would ensure incarcerated women have access to needed maternal support services, including the supplies for pumping breast milk, postpartum health care, and testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Education & Occupations

  • IL HB4330Public Act 099-0600
    • Representative Barbara Wheeler was proud to sponsor and share this bill which passed in 2016, which gives state university credit to those who complete the curriculum and receive the State Seal of Biliteracy.
  • LA HB 748Act 262
    • Representative Julie Emerson spoke about her work on occupational licensing in Louisiana. She sponsored Act 262, which limits the ability of state occupational licensing authorities to deny otherwise qualified candidates on the basis of a previous criminal conviction, and HB 748 which aims to review all occupational licensing in the state within five years to determine whether they are necessary.
  • WI AB 146
    • Representative Kathy Bernier spoke about her work on Wisconsin AB 146, which expands the circumstances under which dental hygienists are permitted to practice dental hygiene, increasing access to dental care, especially in rural areas.

Healthcare

  • GA HB454
    • Representative Park Cannon shared the legislation she sponsored to provide information in publicly funded health facilities offering HIV testing, now a public health protocol in the state.
  • MT HB0318
    • Representative Ellie Hill Smith shared her 2016 sponsored legislation with NFWL saying, “I sponsored a bipartisan bill that requires insurance companies in Montana to cover the medical needs of children with Down Syndrome. It made a huge (immediate) difference to the parents and children of these awesome kids!”
  • MO HB 165
    • MO Representative Tila Hubrecht introduced legislation in the 2017 session based on model language she shared from National Council of State Boards of Nursing, recommending each state create an individualized plan based on the state’s status on practice and access to care. She told NFWL, that “Almost half of all states have removed barriers to practice for APRNs, now the VA system is allowing APRNs full practice authority. This is a great move for the health care and health status of our constituents. I am working on this in Missouri, not going to get it through this year, but would love the opportunity to discuss this with other legislators.”

Homelessness

  • WA strategic plan
    • Councilwoman Lydia Assefa-Dawson & Councilwoman Susan Honda spoke about their ongoing struggle to end homelessness in King County, WA. They reflected on the 2005-2015 strategic plan to tackle the issue, which succeeded in ending homelessness for almost 40,000 people. They also reflected on their continued challenges to remain committed to ending homelessness for the over 10,000 individuals still in need in their district.

Human Trafficking

  • MT HB0089
    • This legislation which passed in 2015 is critical to increasing and clarifying criminal charges related to human trafficking and treating children as a youth in need of care, not criminally liable for participating in human trafficking. Montana Representative Kim Dudik, NFWL Board member, was proud to sponsor and support this bill, noting that her “favorite part” of the legislation “Requires a person convicted of being a trafficker or purchasing sex from a human trafficking victim to register as a sex offender”.  
  • VT H603
    • Representative Linda Joy Sullivan shared her work on human trafficking legislation, which offers provisions that protect victims of sexual assault in a variety of ways.  She shared her expertise on the issue with the group as the co-founder and former executive director of Building Empowerment By Stopping Trafficking, which has assisted more than 3,000 victims of human trafficking in 24 states and eight nations.

Outdoor Living

  • WI AB 291
    • Representative Kathy Bernier, NFWL Board Member, shared the legislation she passed to amend the state’s statutes relating to the color of clothing required to be worn during the season for hunting deer with firearms to include fluorescent pink.

Veterans

  • NE LB685
    • Senator Carol Blood shared legislation she introduced and passed  which provides a funding priority for special-needs military dependents under the Developmental Disabilities Services Act.

Share With NFWL

NFWL is committed to sharing good ideas and connecting women. We encourage any woman passionate about policy to share her story and legislation.

How to Share with NFWL:

  1. Share legislation you have worked on. Tell us what inspired you or drew you to this issue area.
  2. Share legislation that has inspired you, solved a problem, or shines as best practice and tell us why it is important.
  3. Nominate a sponsor of legislation to share their story.
  4. Complete the form to share your legislation HERE.

View the catalog above to access legislation that has been shared, and connect with NFWL staff Brenna Kehew Sculley to be connected with any of the shared policy makers.

Looking for legislation in a policy area that isn’t featured? Let us know!