UUs Demand Justice in Harrisburg

Hundreds of Pennsylvanians gathered on March 17 at the state capitol to demand passage of a bill that would bar discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, and accommodations.

UUPLAN was one of several members of the Value All Families Coalition that joined in the capitol rotunda rally. Approximately three dozen UUs from six congregations attended (Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Devon, York, Lehigh Valley, Cumberland Valley).

Rep. Babette Josephs (at podium above), chair of the house state government committee and a longtime gay rights supporter, was one of many legislators speaking out in support of House Bill 300. "I bet 10% of my colleagues in the house don't think they have a single gay constituent," she said. "Over the next few weeks, we're going to show them just how wrong they are."

Do you want to be part of a movement of Unitarian Universalists who are speaking up for justice in Pennsylvania? Join us! Go the Get Involved! tab above and become a UUPLAN member. Here's what we are working on now:

• House Bill 1: Did you know there are 1 million working age people in Pennsylvania without health insurance? The adultBasic program provides subsidized insurance to 44,000 of the working poor. HB 1 will increase that number to 130,000, partly by making changes to adultBasic that will bring it into compliance with Medicaid, making federal money available to expand this badly needed program.
• House Bill 746: Did you know Pennsylvania is one of only two states in which insurance companies can set rates for small companies based only on the employees of the company - rates that can go sky high in any given year? HB 746 requires insurers to put small employers in a larger risk pool and limits annual increases to 10%.
• House Bill 300: Did you know that it is legal to discriminate against LGBT persons in housing, employment, and public accommodations? Do you think that's fair? We didn't think so. HB 300 adds LGBT to the state Human Rights Act, reversing this injustice.

E-mail us at info@uuplan.org if you would like to join our action alert list. Go to the Current Issues tab to learn more about our work. Go to the Contact Us tab to see if we have a liaison in your congregation. If not, e-mail us if you would like to be our contact in your congregation.

Why another UU organization?
The voice of a single church can be very strong, but the building of a network around the state enables us to strengthen the voice of our individual churches and expand our reach; build ongoing relationships with legislative leaders; and develop political skills needed to enact the changes we are seeking. But even more importantly, the networks give visibility to Unitarian Universalists. Through the small acts of many we have the opportunity to become a respected voice in our state houses for the oppressed, the needy and the poor.

UUs Gather to Plan
Advocacy Strategy

Sen. Andy Dinniman was one of two guest speakers on Sept. 20, when 35 UUs from nine congregations joined to discuss UU advocacy in Harrisburg. Dinniman, who represents Pennsylvania's 19th District (mostly Chester County), spoke at length about successful strategies for working with legislators whose views may seem hopelessly at odds with a progressive agenda. Look first for common ground; listen respectfully despite differences; be persistent; and understand the culture and issues in the area the legislator represents. Visit About to learn more.