Stay Informed and Take Action
Public Policies
Public Policies
Impact Our Lives
Today, government affects all aspects of our lives. Everyone has a stake in the public policies enacted by federal, state, and local governments. Public policy is best described as the broad area of government laws, regulations, court decisions, and local ordinances. Below we provide resources to help you navigate, stay informed and engaged. Our nine focus areas are; Environment, Criminal Justice Reform, Voting Rights, Diversity, Reproductive Freedom, LGBTQ+ Gender Fairness, Housing Mandate, Gun Safety Measures – Public Safety, and Immigration Rights.
November 2024 CA Ballot Measures
Take Action
Stop the Sewage
Impassioned citizens and leaders of Coronado and Imperial Beach gathered at Central Beach on Friday, September 1, 2023, to call for a State of Emergency Declaration regarding the cross border sewage crisis affecting our ocean and beaches. The Government has yet to fund the needed repairs.
DEMAND clean, safe sewage-free beaches and water for our kids, our Navy Seals, our First Responders, visitors, and ocean life. We are DONE with promises and demand immediate action from Governor Newsom NOW. https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/
Waves of Wins – Terra Lawson-Remer
Since you sent me to the County Board of Supervisors in 2021, I’ve made it a priority to preserve, protect, and address critical issues related to the health of our ocean.
Our nine focus areas:
Environment
https://oursharedseas.com/sewage-pollution-primer/
Sewage pollution is a global problem, with equally significant challenges in high-, middle-, and low-income countries alike. Sewage makes up the largest percentage of coastal pollution worldwide. Globally, an estimated 80 percent of sewage is discharged into the environment untreated.
The IBWC provides binational solutions that arise during the application of United States – Mexico treaties regarding boundary demarcation, national ownership of waters, sanitation, water quality, and flood control in the border region. The site includes the dates and times when the Citizens Forum meets in Coronado and provides citizens with the current status on the projects intended to solve the sewage problems along the southern San Diego – Mexico border.
https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/
From the unique vantage point in space, NASA collects critical long-term observations of our changing planet. NASA studies our own planet more than any other, observing Earth’s oceans, land, ice, and atmosphere, and measure how a change in one drives change in others.
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/
Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a climate change organization that exists to create the political will for a livable world by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power.
Learn how Monitoring sites help the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District achieve its commitment of clean air for all. Although air quality has greatly improved over the past decades region wide, the APCD continues to work towards federal and state air quality standards and their vision of Clean Air for All.
https://coronadodemocrats.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Climate-Biden-vs-Trump-NY-Times.pdf
The Biden administration’s climate polices are expected to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, from 2005 levels. In March, the news service Carbon Brief estimated that a Trump victory would result in more than four billion tons of additional U.S. emissions by 2030.
Note: the above PDF is linked to the July 2024 Newsletter.
Criminal Justice Reform
https://www.themarshallproject.org/records/622-criminal-justice-reform
Since 2014, The Marshall Project has been curating some of the best criminal justice reporting from around the web. In these records you will find the most recent and the most authoritative articles on the topics, people and events that are shaping the criminal justice conversation.
The SANDAG Regional Criminal Justice Research & Clearinghouse Division assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of crime control programs to inform local criminal justice planning and policymaking. By seeking and securing research funds from state and federal sources, SANDAG analyzes crime patterns, crime-reduction strategies, and responses to the region’s crime.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/death-penalty/
Amnesty International holds that the death penalty breaches human rights, in particular the right to live free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Both rights are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948.
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/
The Commission acts as the principal policymaking body of the United Nations in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.
CJCJ works to reduce society’s reliance on incarceration as a solution to social problems.
https://eji.org/criminal-justice-reform/
The United States incarcerates its citizens more than any other country. Mass incarceration disproportionately impacts the poor and people of color and does not make us safer. EJI is working to end our misguided reliance on over-incarceration.
Voting Rights
https://www.commoncause.org/our-work/
Election Protection makes sure that every American can make their voices heard even when anti-voter rules try to get in the way. Every election year, Common Cause mobilizes thousands of Election Protection volunteers to help our fellow Americans navigate the voting process and cast their votes without obstruction, confusion, or intimidation.
https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights
Voting is a fundamental principle, and all Americans deserve the equal opportunity to make their voices heard in our democracy. LWV is dedicated to using advocacy, litigation, and resources like VOTE411 to include more voters, expand and protect voter access, and ensure that elections remain fair and accessible.
Fast Democracy makes it easy to track legislation in Congress and all 50 states, so you don’t miss legislative bill actions that are important to you. They combine this with a government advocacy and lobbying suite to develop and organize advocacy strategies, collaborate, and keep stakeholders informed.
Mother Jones and Reveal merged under the Center for Investigative Reporting umbrella forming a new independent, nonprofit news outlet. “This new organization greatly enhances our ability to tell stories across multiple platforms (audio, digital, print, and video).”
https://www.aclu.org/issues/voting-rights
Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and the fundamental right upon which all our civil liberties rest. The ACLU works to protect and expand Americansʼ freedom to vote.
Diversity
https://www.alliancesd.org/our_story
Alliance San Diego (formally known as Equality Alliance of San Diego) is a community organization whose mission is to build collective power to create an inclusive democracy where everyone can participate fully with dignity.
ADL fights all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.
https://www.aaaed.org/aaaed/About_AAAED.asp
The American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED), a 501c6 membership organization, is the longest-standing national organization of professionals who engage in the important work of leading, directing and managing affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity programs. At the core of our collective work is engaging in advocacy to promote and protect policies that are meant to ensure equity and inclusion in all spheres of opportunity.
The Administration for Community Living was created around the fundamental principle that older adults and people of all ages with disabilities should be able to live where they choose, with the people they choose, and with the ability to participate fully in their communities.
Protect Human Rights. The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN’s founding Charter, making the promotion and protection of human rights a key purpose and guiding principle of the Organization.
Reproductive Freedom
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/
Take Action: Bans Off Our Bodies – Politicians opposed to abortion rights have made it clear that their ultimate goal is to ban abortion nationwide. Join the fight for our right to make decisions about our bodies, lives, and futures!
https://www.hrw.org/topic/womens-rights/reproductive-rights-and-abortion
Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world. We are roughly 550 plus people of 70-plus nationalities who are country experts, lawyers, journalists, and others who work to protect the most at risk, from vulnerable minorities and civilians in wartime, to refugees and children in need.
LGBTQ+ Gender Fairness
https://www.aclusocal.org/en/know-your-rights/lgbtq-student-rights
Bullying, physical threats, hate-graffiti or name-calling of LGBTQ students is harassment, and is no joke. The good news, however, is that California has laws designed to help and protect LGBTQ youth.
https://www.unicef.org/gender-equality
Girls and boys see gender inequality in their homes and communities every day – in textbooks, in the media and among the adults who care for them. Societies that protect equal rights for girls and boys create benefits for everyone.
Housing Mandate
https://www.coronado.ca.us/264/Housing-Element-Update
Visit the City’s webpage to learn what the City is doing in 2023/24 to update the plan.
Gun Safety Measures - Public Safety
For 30 years, Giffords Law Center has been fighting to draft, enact, and defend the laws, policies, and programs proven to save lives from gun violence. Help Giffords Law Center build a safer America.
Everytown organizations are fighting for the changes that will save lives. They are a movement of moms, dads, students, survivors, educators, gun owners, and concerned citizens working together to fight for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.
Immigration Rights
https://publicintegrity.org/topics/inequality-poverty-opportunity/immigration/
The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit newsroom investigating inequity and holding powerful interests accountable. Readers like you help tackle inequity and threats to democracy and equip the public to make change.
https://www.friendshippark.org
The Friends of Friendship Park work to enhance public access to this historic meeting place on the US-Mexico border. Learn how you can advocate for Friendship Park.
Other & Homelessness
The mission of the Alpha Project is to empower individuals, families, and communities by providing work, recovery and support services to people who are motivated to change their lives and achieve self-sufficiency. The agency’s many programs are available to all persons in need regardless of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
https://www.axios.com/local/san-diego/politics
California’s gun and ammo tax, U.S. Supreme Court decisions, San Diego County Supervisors and housing..Read Axios for quick 1 minute reads.