June 2014 • Issue 10
NYSPAC Conference
In This Issue: • NYSPAC Conference • 2014 – 2015 Leadership Board • Kudos • HT Project • Book Club • Sustainer News • Holiday Shoppes 2014 • Stem Expo • Parliamentarian Tip • Meeting Briefs
MARK YOUR CALENDARS June 10: Annual Dinner GMM • Justin’s Bar & Grill • Social: 6 pm; Meeting: 6:30 pm • $25/person; Meeting only: No Charge
June 15: Father’s Day
June 21: Summer Begins
June 24: Summer Reading List Party • Time/Location TBD
July 4: Independence Day
July 8: New Leadership Training • JLS Office, 6 - 8pm
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! SEE YOU IN AUGUST
NYSPAC members with Senators Andrew Lanza and Joe Robach
Community VP Linda Dombrow represented JLS at the annual Spring Conference and Lobby Day of the Junior League’s New York Public Affairs Committee (NYSPAC) on May 12 and 13. NYSPAC’s focus this year as last year is on legislative approval of the Traffic Victims Justice and Protection Act (TVJPA). Approval of TVJPA will improve New York’s efforts to end human trafficking by enhancing protection for trafficking victims-particularly for sexually exploited children. It increases accountability for buyers and traffickers who are fueling the growth of this massive underground industry and it helps prevent re-victimization of trafficking victims by the justice system. TVJPA is actually before the legislature in two different forms: a “stand-alone” piece with only the provisions related to human trafficking and as one part of a ten-point plan covering several other issues affecting women, some of which are quite controversial. In 2013, the NYS Senate approved only the stand-alone measure while the NYS Assembly approved only the ten-point plan. To become law, one of the two versions must be approved by both the Senate and Assembly and signed by the Governor. At the urging of JLS and other New York State Leagues, NYSPAC focused its 2014 Lobby Day efforts on the stand-alone measure. NYSPAC’s strategy is to persuade Assembly members and leadership that TVJPA’s protection and support for trafficking victims is too important to be lost amid debate
over other issues. Day One of the two-day conference was dedicated to briefings on human trafficking in New York State, the details of the TVJPA, key talking points for meeting with legislators, and review of specific information about Assembly members with whom NYSPAC representatives would be meeting. TVJPA’s lead Assembly sponsor, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, provided an inside look at the politics of moving this legislation through the Senate and Assembly. Dinner on Day One gave Linda a chance to update the NYSPAC group on the JLS outreach effort. All were suitably impressed at what has been accomplished in just a few short months and have requested copies of our printed materials. On Day Two, small NYSPAC teams met with legislators and staff whose support would be essential to TVJPA’s eventual approval. A mid-day press conference featured several TVJPA sponsors and trafficking victims invited by the NYS AntiTrafficking Coalition. Three of Linda’s five Assembly meetings were with upstate representatives who were provided with newspaper articles from JLS Human Trafficking outreach kits – great ammunition for those who don’t believe human trafficking happens here in Upstate NY. Although TVJPA is currently stalled in the legislature, NYSPAC conversations with key legislators continue and we are hopeful that TVJPA will be approved and signed into law this year.
The Junior League of Syracuse, Inc. • The NOTES • June 2014 | 1