Caucus of Women Legislators 2005 Issue #5 CWL Newsletter July 2005 Caucus Lays Out Tricks of the Trade Legislative Priorities Panel Shares Media Relations Tips embers of the Caucus of ment with a physician. Women Legislators con- S.1133 will define a self- M sidered many bills for its sufficiency standard in order to Legislative Priorities this session. provide a measure of the extent “We had a lively discus- to which the incomes of house- sion of which bills to choose holds in Massachusetts are suffi- based on the already winnowed- cient to support the costs of liv- down list that caucus members ing, working, raising a family, and had previously voted on. We are paying taxes in Massachusetts. dedicated to achieving some suc- The Caucus of Women cess with the bills that we will be Legislators feels that these two focusing on during this legislative bills are essential to improving session,” said Co-Chair Story. the quality of life and economic The bills which the Cau- status of women in the Common- cus will be focusing on getting wealth. Pictured above (left to right): Ann Dufresne, Ann passed into law during the 2005- The Caucus also is com- Donlan, John Henning, Janet Wu, Erica Mattison, 2006 Session are: mitted to playing an active role in and Michael Norton. S. 2073 An Act to Provide the shaping of health care policy Timely Access to Emergency Con- to ensure that women’s rights Over 70 people gathered in the steamy traception and S. 1133 An Act to and concerns are addressed. The Senate Reading Room on June 10, 2005 Establish a Self-Sufficiency Stan- ongoing discussion will include to hear a panel of experienced reporters dard in the Commonwealth. the challenges facing families share tips about how to conduct effective S.2073 will require hospi- who take care of elderly or dis- media relations. tal emergency rooms to make abled relatives in their home. emergency contraception avail- The Caucus will be work- For event coverage, able to rape survivors and will ing with several groups to advo- turn to page 8. also allow pharmacists to dis- cate for the passage of these bills pense emergency contraception into law. through a collaborative agree- Inside this issue: Mass Budget and Policy Center Briefing on Minimum Wage - Page 2 Calendar of Events - Page 4 Congratulations! - Pages 6&7 And more! Missed the screening of Girl Trouble? Turn to page 10. Caucus Holds Minimum Wage Briefing On Wednesday June 1, 2005, the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legisla- tors hosted a presentation on the Massachusetts minimum wage by Jeff McLynch, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MBPC). Several members of the Caucus of Women Legislators are co- 2005 Members sponsors of the bill H.3782 An Act Indexing the Minimum Wage. Mr. McLynch examined the prevalence of poverty among women in Massachu- setts, the decline in the value of the minimum wage, and the impact that rais- Co-Chairs ing the minimum wage would have upon women: Senator Marian Walsh and • Poverty in Massachusetts: Women comprise the majority of people living in poverty in Massachusetts: 62 percent of adults living in poverty in Representative Ellen Story Massachusetts are women. Meanwhile, single mothers head over 72 Executive Director percent of families living in poverty. Erica Mattison • Massachusetts’ Minimum Wage: The real value of the Massachusetts minimum wage has declined in recent years, as inflation has eroded its buying power, even as wage inequities continue to grow. After adjusting Members of Senate Mary Grant for inflation, the value of the Massachusetts minimum wage is now more than 20 percent below its value in 1968, when it reached its peak of Harriette Chandler Patricia Haddad $8.46 per hour in constant 2003 dollars. Cynthia Creem Lida Harkins • Increasing and Indexing the Minimum Wage: An increase in the Massa- Susan Fargo Patricia Jehlen chusetts minimum wage to $8.25 per hour would directly raise the pay of some 261,000 workers. Women make up slightly more than 60 percent Joan Menard Rachel Kaprielian of those who would benefit. More than three-quarters of the workers Therese Murray Kay Khan who would gain are adults aged 20 and older, while 40 percent currently work 35 hours or more per week. Meanwhile, indexing the minimum Pamela Resor Barbara L’Italien wage to inflation would ensure that it keeps pace with the cost of living. Karen Spilka Elizabeth Malia • Prior Minimum Wage Increases: After an increase in the minimum wage Susan Tucker Shirley Owens-Hicks was adopted in 1999, the Massachusetts poverty rate dropped from 10.8 percent in 1999-2000 to 9.4 percent in 2000-2001. While the Dianne Wilkerson Marie Parente minimum wage does not solely explain this shift, the sustained decline in poverty remains noteworthy. Also, despite claims of potential job losses Members of House Anne Paulsen due to a higher minimum wage, total employment in Massachusetts Cory Atkins Alice Peisch grew following minimum wage increases in 1995, 1996, and 2000, in- cluding in areas where minimum wage workers are found in dispropor- Ruth Balser Elizabeth Poirier tionate numbers, such as the leisure and hospitality sector. Deborah Blumer Karyn Polito Jennifer Callahan Susan Pope For more information on the Massachusetts minimum wage, visit the MBPC Christine Canavan Kathi-Anne Reinstein website at http://www.massbudget.org. Gale Candaras Cheryl Rivera Geraldine Creedon Mary Rogeness Linda Dorcena Forry Joyce Spiliotis The Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators is a bi-partisan, bi- Jennifer Flanagan Harriett Stanley cameral group of female legislators whose mission is to work to enhance Gloria Fox Marie St. Fleur the status of women throughout the Commonwealth. In 2005, with 50 leg- islators, women comprise 25% of the 200-person MA Legislature. This Colleen Garry Kathleen Teahan monthly publication produced by the Caucus of Women Legislators aims to Susan Gifford Patricia Walrath inform elected state officials and the public of the activities of the Caucus. Anne Gobi Marty Walz Shirley Gomes Alice Wolf Page 2 Caucus of Women Legislators Members of GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Under- graduate Programs), a federal program designed to prepare middle and high school students for college, met with legislators at the State House on June 15. Several members of CWL were pre- sent and offered their support to GEAR UP. Pictured (left to right): Representative Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge), Valedictorian from East Boston High School Maria Loza, Coordinator from West Roxbury High School Nadira Hairston, third in class from East Boston High School Sara Eldib, and junior from West Roxbury High School Eleni Saridis. Representative Patricia Haddad (D-Somerset) congratulated the crowd. Representative Fox and Represen- tative Wolf, lead sponsor of An Act Establishing a GEAR UP Fund for College Education (H.1232). Representative Gloria Fox (D-Boston) poses with GEAR UP participants. Would you like to contribute to the next issue of the CWL Newsletter? Photo and writing submissions are welcome. The deadline is July 15. For more information, please contact: Erica Mattison, Executive Director Phone: 617-722-2266 E-mail: [email protected] Address: Room 460, State House 2005, Issue 5 Page 3 Monday July 11 Mentoring Program Luncheon with Special Guest Time: Noon-1pm Location: Room 460 Members of the Mentoring Program are invited to attend this casual luncheon where they will have the chance to meet Carol Hardy-Fanta (Director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at UMass Boston’s John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies) and hear about CREW – the Coalition to Recruit and Elect Women. Open to members of the Aide Mentoring Program. Also Monday July 11 International Group of Women to Visit the State House Time: 3-4pm Location: House Members’ Lounge, State House The Caucus of Women Legislators is pleased to welcome to the State House 18 women from around the world. These visitors are traveling in the United States under the auspices of the International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States De- partment of State. Immigration officers, professors, advisors, reporters, program directors, and members of Parliament are among the visitors. Open to legislators, State House staff and interns, and members of the public. Thursday July 21 Executive Director of the Caucus of Women Legislators Speaks to State House Interns Time: 2pm Location: A-1 Come learn about the Caucus of Women Legislators! Open to State House staff and interns. And in August… Friday August 26 2005 Financial Literacy Brown Bag Lunch Series: Women and Money Time: 12-1pm Location: House Members’ Lounge, State House Dee Lee, Certified Financial Planner & author of several books will talk about why women have to pay particular attention to finances. To learn more about our guest speaker, you may visit her website at: http://www.deelee.net/. Space is limited! For more information and to RSVP, please call Nina at 617.367.6900 or e-mail her at [email protected]. Presented by State Treasurer Tim Cahill & The Mentoring Program Committee of The Caucus of Women Legislators Open to State House staff, interns, and members of the public. Disclaimer: Only events specifically labeled as sponsored by The Caucus of Women Legislators have the endorsement of the organization. This calendar is a compilation of some CWL-sponsored events as well as other non-sponsored related topic events. Page 4 Caucus of Women Legislators Recent Events Representative Linda Former Gov. Paul Cellucci presents Dorcena Forry (D- Jane Doe Inc. Executive Director Mary Boston) speaks to Lauby with a check for $75,000. attendees at a MA Cellucci challenged the community to Women’s Policical match the donation.