Making Democracy Work The Voter - LWV Pensacola Bay … · Making Democracy Work ® The Voter ... members of Girl Scout Troop 838 will ... our experts will be able to help navigate

Dr. Carol WeissertDirector of the Leroy

Collins Institute

Making Democracy Work® The Voter

Volume 68 Issue 1 September 2017

IN THIS ISSUE Making Pensacola an ... 1Hot Topic Lunch - CRC 1Cyber-Security:.... 2Co President’s Message 2Priorities/New Ed position/NPV.. 3Second Chances.... 3Plastic Bags... 4New Members 4Calendar 5Voter Service Report 5Photo of Women’s Equality Day 5

YOUR BOARD MEMBERS

Officers:Haley Richards andEllen Roston, Co PresidentsCharlyle Parrish, 1st Vice Pres.Ray Hudkins, 2nd Vice Pres.Art Parrish, TreasurerDebra Miller, Secretary

Directors:Mary Collins - Women’s IssuesAnn Davis - Natural ResourcesVivian Faircloth, CommunicationsShirley Lewis-Brown - RightsRestoration - Second ChancesPatty Maxwell - Communication Cathy Scott, Membership Paula Montgomery, Education

Off-Board Carolyn Kolb - Natural ResourcesBetty Brannon - Naturalization

Nominating Committee Elizabeth King, ChairCharlotte CraneGail Honea

Contact Us

www.lwvpba.org LWVPBA facebook page

[email protected] Phone: (850)937-7769

www.lwvfl.orgLWVF facebook page

www.lwv.orgLWVUS Facebook page

Making Pensacola an

Early Learning CitySeptember 16,2017

Tryon Library, 1200 Langley Ave.

Coffee 10:15 Program 10:30 am

Education is of paramount interest to the League ofWomen Voters, locally, state-wide andnationally. Thomas Jefferson stated, "'Thecornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation

of an educated electorate." In the United States we anticipate that the will of thepeople will be expressed by the people when they vote. If the people do notunderstand and respect our systems of laws and checks and balances, they aresubject to making poor decisions even for their own safety and welfare. The Leagueof Women Voters has worked tirelessly for free, equitable and high quality publiceducation for all citizens, regardless of their background and status.

Recognizing that children are exposed to their earliest learning in the home, andthat there are vast differences in our homes, which prepare children differently formore formal education in the schools, the Studer Institute in collaboration with theUniversity of Chicago has undertaken to bring more equity to the homeenvironments in Pensacola. This enormous undertaking has promise fortransforming school readiness and performance for Pensacola's children. Thiscollaboration is endeavoring to make Pensacola an Early Learning City, withimprovements in learning for a whole generation of our children.

The League applauds this effort and looks forward to hearing about theprocesses and plans at the September meeting. Shannon Nickinson, a key playerwith Studer, will be our speaker. In the future, the the public will benefit from theoutcomes through improvements in early learning and in pre-kindergarten readiness.

At the September monthly meeting, members of Girl Scout Troop 838 willbe attending with their leader, Jennifer Armstrong. The girls will presentthe flag and lead in the pledge of allegiance. This ceremony was arrangedby League member Lauren Anzaldo.

Hot Topic LuncheonWhat Happens Every 20 years Only In The State

of Florida? Constitution Revision Commission

September 27, 2017 - 10 am - noonPensacola Yacht Club, 1897 Cypress St.

Once every twenty years, Florida's Constitution calls forcreation of a Constitution Revision Commission (CRC).The commission meets for approximately one year,holding public hearings, examining the Florida

Constitution, identifying issues, performing research, evaluating citizen proposed

Continued on page 4..... CRC

The Voter page 2 September 2017

Haley Richards

Ellen Roston

Condolences to the family of Sammy

Carroll on her recent death.

Co President’s Message

This League Year is off to a roaringstart with Women's IssuesCommittee, chaired by MaryCollins, honoring Women's

Equality Day in a silent handmaid's talestyle protest in Downtown Pensacola. Leaguers held signs while dressed in thestriking white caps and red capes,similiar to the women in MargaretAtwood's novel.

The Program Planning Committee, chaired by RayHudkins, is planning interesting monthly program and HotTopic meetings. The September 16th is a discussion ofplans to make Pensacola an Early Learning City. OnSeptember 27th, the Hot Topic Lunch will feature CarolWeissert, Executive Director of the LeRoy CollinsInstitute (FSU) presenting on Florida's ConstitutionalRevision Commission. Read the full meeting details inthis month's Voter!

League members throughout the state of Florida areactively participating in the Florida Rights RestorationCoalition (FRRC) and the League is counting on you tocollect petitions to ensure this important Amendment is onthe 2018 Ballot. Florida's Voting Restoration Amendmentwould allow people who have paid their debt to society toregain the right to vote; TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Contact Shirley Lewis-Brown if you can help collectsigned petitions!

LWV Florida announced that Marty Monroe is the newlobbyist for the upcoming 2018 legislative session. The2018 Legislative Priorities are listed in this Voter. Leaguemembers who are interested in meeting our legislatorsshould call Haley at 683-6511. Getting to know ourlegislators better is part of making democracy work.

The Board of Directors participated in a Board Retreat &Planning session in June to begin organizing for the newLeague Year. The Board reviewed the suggestionsmembers made at the Annual Meeting and will takeappropriate actions on their concerns.

IN 2017-2018, the League will continue to makedemocracy work.

Haley & Ellen

Time to renew your membership. Use the form on page 6 or paypal on www.lwvpba.org.

Cyber Security: Ask the Experts!

Pensacola State College - Hagler Auditorium

October 7th | 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.Karina Unger

In honor of National Cyber Security month, Pensacola YoungProfessionals and the League of Women Voters of PensacolaBay Area have collaborated to bring an informative andinteractive event on how to stay safe in the digital age. This

conference is meant to provide relevant information for thenontechnical person to better understand how the evolvingtechnological advances will impact future generations. We haveinvited the experts to come and answer questions that pertain topersonal, business, and national cyber security. We havenoticed an increase in the media's coverage of this hot topic andour experts will be able to help navigate the answers toquestions like:

• What is cyber security? And the new term- cyberhygiene?

• What should I be aware of when using personal devicessuch as my computer or cell phone?

• Is online banking safe?• What is ransom ware? How do I protect my business

from it?• Are there legal or insurance related issues I should be

aware of for my business?• Are other countries hacking us? What are the

consequences if they do?• Are we on the path to cyber warfare?• Can hacking be used for good?

Experts are invited to come and answer questions thatpertain to personal, business, and national cyber security. Panelstopics include:

! Protect Yourself! Protect Your Business! Protect our Nation

Conference Schedule

10 AM to 10:30 AM - Welcome & Key Note Kick Off: GregKiker

10:30 AM to 11: 45AM - Protect Yourself Panelist11:45 AM to 12:30 PM - Networking Lunch (Boxed Lunch

will be available for purchase. Lunch details will be sentto your e-mail address at a later date.)

12:30 PM to 1:45 PM - Protect Your Business Panelist1:45 PM to 2:00 PM - Break2:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Protect our Nation Panelist3:00 PM to 3:20 PM - Closing: Interview with White Hat

Hacker

Guest speakers at this event will include: Reid Rushing, JoeSimpson, Michele Ward, Logan Hicks, Matt Price, WauchulaGhost, John Corliss, and Matthew Crosak.

Registration for this event is available through Eventbrite here.

The Voter page 3 September 2017

2018 Legislative Priorities

The League of Women Voters is a grassrootsorganization and focuses on issues of greatestconcerns to our members. Each year, ourmembership is polled to see which issues are

most important. LWVF tabulates the submissions, andselects the top five areas as priorities for the FloridaLegislative Session.

2018 Legislative Priorities:i Government -Election Lawi Educationi Natural Resourcesi Gun Safetyi Health Care

For details about the priorities, see the new LWVFwebsite here. Stay Connected! Sign up to get news andalerts by email on the issues in which you're mostinterested here."

National Popular Vote InterstateCompact (NPVIC)

Ray Hudkins, 346-5199

Does the Electoral College ensure that your votecounts? Did you know that electoral votes aredetermined by each state legislature according toArticle II Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution? Have

you heard of the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?Read on - - -

The League of Women Votersbelieves the Electoral College asnow deployed robs Americans ofthe one-person, one-vote bedrockprinciple of our democracy.Electors are allocated to eachstate based on the number of

representatives (population based) and addition of 2 electorsfor the senators in each state. Consider the followingElectoral College vote comparison to illustrate the point. Wyoming has a population of 568,300 and three electoralvotes. Each elector represents 189, 433 voters. Florida has apopulation of 18, 900, 733 and 29 electoral votes. Eachelector represents 651,751voters. Wyoming electorsrepresent more than 3.4 times of a Florida elector.

We can again make our Presidential elections fair andequitable by passing the National Popular Vote InterstateCompact (NPVIC). NPVIC is a legal agreement among statesto award all of their Electoral College votes to the candidatewho wins the national popular vote. The Compact becomesactive once states representing 270 Electoral College votesadopt the Compact.

Leagues across the state are joining the movement tolobby the legislature to pass NPVIC and to educate voters tolobby their state representative and senators. We cancontribute to this statewide effort if enough Pensacola BayArea members volunteer. For further details contact RayHudkins, Program Planning Committee Chair (346-5199) [email protected]

Have you ever been given a second chance?Americans believe in Second Chances. We need to

make sure Florida law does, too.

Will you help us give one to 1.6 millionFloridians who have paid their debt tosociety? The Say Yes to Second Chancescampaign are collecting petitions to help put

the Voting Restoration Amendment on the ballot in 2018. Weneed you to join us so that we can restore the vote to fellowFloridians who have lost it resulting from a felony conviction,yet have returned as productive members of our communities.

We need to collect one million petitions by January 1, 2018to have this important petition added to the 2018 ballot.

Print a copy of the petition here or get copies from ShirleyLewis-Brown, shirleylewis_brown(at)hotmail.com, VivianFaircloth, vfaircloth(at)iname.com or lwvpba(at)gmail.com. Signed petitions may be sent to the ACLU, c/o Sara Latshaw,3 W. Garden Street, Suite 712, Pensacola, FL 32502. Please letShirley know the number submitted so she send totals to LWVFlorida know.

If you can suggest places where petitions can be signed,please let Shirley know.

New Election Law Positions Adopted at LWVF Convention ‘17

Ray Hudkins, 346-5199

G Register voters up to and including Election Day as soon asadministratively feasible

G Recommend statewide use of an Open primary electionsystem that would allow for the broadest possible voterparticipation, including No Party and Minor Party affiliatevoters. Open Primaries also provide access to a broader slateof candidates that would increase voter participation. (2017)

G Replace Florida's present closed Presidential PreferencePrimary with an Open Primary system of voting. (2017)

G Establish threshold criteria for write-in candidates thatmirror current requirements for announced candidates. Thepresence of a write in candidate as the only opponent shouldnot close the primary. (2017)

G Make Election voting portable within the county to enablethe broadest voter access. (2017)

G NPAs (No Party Affiliation) and minor party voters shouldhave an opportunity to vote in all primary elections. (2017)

G Provide for automatic registration of eligible voters (2017)

NOTE: The Open Primary positions will require a constitutionalamendment. One citizen initiative has been submitted to theConstitution Revision Commission. The remaining positions canbe implemented via statute.

The Voter page 4 September 2017

Continued from page 1- CRC ...

amendments, and possibly recommending changesto the Florida Constitution. Any amendmentsproposed by the CRC would be placed on the 2018General Election ballot. Any amendments placed onthe ballot by the CRC would have to secure 60percent approval by voters to be added to the FloridaConstitution.

On September 27 the LWV Pensacola Bay Areawill host a presentation on the CRC featuring Dr.Carol Weissert, Director of the Leroy CollinsInstitute of Florida State University. The event,including lunch, will take place at the PensacolaYacht Club from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon onSeptember 27.

Dr. Weissert became the director of the Institutein October of 2007. She is also the LeRoy CollinsEminent Scholar Chair and Professor of PoliticalScience at Florida State University. Prior to takingthat position in August 2003, she was professor ofpolitical science and director of the Institute forPublic Policy and Social Research at Michigan StateUniversity. The LeRoy Collins Institute is anonpartisan, statewide policy organization whichstudies and promotes creative solutions to keyprivate and public issues facing the people ofFlorida and the nation. "

Make September 27th LuncheonReservations Here

Make your reservations by noon September22th for the September 27th Hot Topicluncheon on Eventbrite Event Page here orsend your check to LWVPBA Treasurer ,

PO Box 2023, Pensacola, FL 32513. Your check isyour reservation. Cancellations after noonSeptember 22 are non-refundable. For furtherinformation, call Ray Hudkins, 346-5199 orrhud66(at) gmail.com."

Welcome New Members

Judith Barousse Deborah Berry

Barbara Ferg-Carter George E. Mallams

Alison Richards Karina Unger

Rosemary Hays-Thomas has new contact

information. See latest Roster for update.

City of Pensacola, ECUA and Escambia CountyCommission Passed Resolution to Regulate Plastic

Bags Locally.

The Natural Resources Committee of the LWVPBA is happy toreport that we have been successful in asking the City ofPensacola, the ECUA, and the Escambia County Commissionto pass a resolution asking the state to allow us to regulate the

use of plastic bags locally. The City of Pensacola passed thisresolution in January 2017, the ECUA passed it in April 2017 andthe Escambia County Commission passed it in June of this year. Allof the representatives present at the meetings voted unanimously topass the resolution.

In 2008, the state legislature created Statute 403.7033 whichstated that "The Department of Environmental Protection shallundertake an analysis of the need for new or different regulation ofauxiliary containers, wrappings or disposable plastic bags used byconsumers to carry products from retail establishments." The statutealso said that until the DEP study was complete, "no localgovernment…may enact any rule, regulation, ordinance regardinguse, disposition, sale, prohibition, restriction or tax of such…containers, wrappings or disposable plastic bags."

The DEP study was completed on February 1, 2010 and theyconcluded that plastic bags "harm land and marine wildlife, interferewith landfill operations, clog flood control systems and breedmosquitoes". They added "the most dramatic illustration of theenvironmental damage from plastic bags are the floating garbagepatches in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans - the largestcovering an area almost twice that of the United States." Theirrecommendation was that the "Legislature take action to discouragethe use of single use…plastic retail bags and encourage the use ofreusable retail bags."Since then the Florida Legislature has taken no action on thisrecommendation.

As a result, more than 40 communities around Florida havepassed resolutions asking the state to repeal or replace Section403.7033 of the Florida Statutes so as to allow local governments toregulate and/or prohibit disposable plastic bags from being used byconsumers to carry products from retail establishments.

We would like to thank all of our elected representatives in theCity, the ECUA and Escambia County who helped make thispossible.

Note: Justin Hoggard, graphic artist and son of Enid Sisskin,designed the flyer which is being distributed in the campaign todiscourage the use of single use plastic retail bags. Ellen Roston andGail Honea spoke at the Escambia County Commission and weresupported by Niki Fiedler and Enid Sisskin.

Want to keep up to date on education issues aroundthe country? The LWVUS Education Team recently launched ablog to promote the exchange of information on school reform. Thesite houses fact-based studies and posts with reference citations thatcontribute to a better understanding of different points of view aboutschool choice issues. Florida Leaguer Sue M. Legg, Ph.D is the blogcoordinator.

Subscribe to the Education Issues blog here. Participationfrom both members and nonmembers are welcome.

The Voter page 5 September 2017

Voter Services NewsCharlyle Parrish, 932,0854

During the 2015 Legislative Session, the Florida Legislaturedirected the Florida Department of State's Division ofElections (DOS) to develop and implement an online voterregistration (OVR) system. The law took effect on July 1,

2015. The development of the OVR is targeted to be operationalby October 1, 2017. Santa Rosa County Supervisor of ElectionTappie Villane stated "…the State should be ‘advertising’ theupcoming start of Online Voter Registration. I have not seenanything out there as of yet, but will keep you posted. TheDivision of Elections is working in conjunction with the DMV onthis project and again it is scheduled to begin on October 1!". Leaguers can find updates on the web page:http://dos.myflorida.com/elections.

Upcoming Voter Registration events:National Voter Registration Day: Tuesday, September 19, 8:00am - noon at the Milton Student Center on the PSC campus.

Constitution Day: Tuesday, September 26, 9 am - noon on thePSC Campus in Gulf Breeze

Veterans Day activities: Saturday, November 11, Details tofollow.

Notes:Although it is not an "election" year, voter registration andeducational events with a community organization can bearranged. Contact us at 850-937-7769 or lwvpba(at) gmail.com.

Guide to Elected Officials: These invaluable guides are available now. If you need Guides, please leave a message at 850-937-7769or lwvpba(at)gmail.com.

Brennan Center for Justice: The State of Redistricting Litigation.Read the full article here.

In honor of Women's Equality Day, 22 League members(below) held a silent protest on Saturday, August 26 on thefour corners of Garden and Palafox Streets in downtownPensacola. Signs with messages on issues of concern to

women and equality were displayed. The red robes and whitebonnets are a part of the story in the book, The Handmaid's Tale.

In the book, a theocratic regime calling itself Republic ofGilead takes over parts of the U.S. and has imposed severe limitsto freedom and women's rights in a bid to control society andincrease fertility rates.

Author Margaret Atwood took inspiration for the novel's plotand the handmaids' iconic outfits from the Puritans, the EnglishReformed Protestants who established East Coast colonies in the16th and 17th centuries.

Calendar

September9 Saturday, 10:00 am, Board Meeting, in the Conference room,

Downtown library on Spring Street. Members are welcome.

16 Saturday, 10:15 am, General League Meeting, Tryon BranchLibrary, 1200 Langley Ave, “Making Pensacola a EarlyLearning City”, Shannon Nickinson, Studer CommunityInstitute.

17 Sunday, Constitution Day

19 Tuesday, 10:00 am, International Relations, Great Decisionsdiscussion at Azalea Trace on “Latin America’s PoliticalPendulum” Leader Jim Balcom. For information: 937-7769.

27 Wednesday, 10 am - Noon, Hot Topic Luncheon,“Constitution Revision Commission” by Dr. Carol Weissert,LeRoy Collins Institute Director, Pensacola Yacht Club at 1897Cypress Street. Reservation details page 4 & here.

27 Wednesday, National Voter Registration Day

27 Wednesday, 6-7:30 pm, Women’s Issues Committee meetingat Mary Collins, 1126 E. La Rua. For information contact Maryat 346-5520.

October7 Saturday, 10 am - 3:30 pm, Cyber Security: Ask the Experts,

panel of experts, Hagler Auditorium at PSC.

10 Tuesday, 6:30 pm, Equal Means Equal, AMC Bayou 15Theater. Special Features: 5 min intro/25 min Q&A with mic.

21 Saturday, 10:15 am, General League Meeting, Tryon BranchLibrary, 1200 Langley Ave, “An Issue for Women”. Reservethis date on your calendar.

The Voter page 6 September 2017

In 1949 the League of Women Voters Pensacola Bay Area was formed as a non-partisan political organization of men andwomen who encourage informed and active participation in government. The League conducts studies and followingconsensus, takes positions on major public policy issues. Through education and advocacy, the League works to inform theelectorate and impact legislation.

The League neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office. However individual membersare urged to be as active in the political process.

Join the League of Women Voters Today!

It’s easy! Just send your check to:

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS g P.O. Box 2023, Pensacola, FL 32513 or PayPal here.

Name _________________________________________ Bi rth date ____________ New Mbr? Yes/No

Address: _____________________________________ Ci ty _________State ____Zip_______________

Home phone (___)___________ Other (___)____________E-mail ______________________________

Add Family Member(s): ________________________ ____________________________________

DUES: $55.00 ______ Additional Mbrs @ $27.50 _______ Contribution_______ TOTAL____________

Dues are $27.50 for a student enrolled in a certificate or degree program.

� I’m renewing my membership.

Membership dues and gifts to the League of Women Voters are not deductible as charitable contributions for tax purposes. (Tax

deductible contributions require a separate check written to the LWV Florida Education Fund and should be sent to our local

treasurer.)

League of Women Voters

of the Pensacola Bay Area

PO. Box 2023

Pensacola, FL 32513

Watch your email for status of meetings as the hurricanes progresses through the area.

I am interested in the following areas (Circle all interests)Education Natural Resources Social Policy Speaker’s Bureau

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