SOCIAL POLICY

The League of Women Voters supports Social Policies that secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all, and that promote social and economic justice and the health and safety of all Americans.

Children's Services

LWVMD takes Action to support a comprehensive range of child-centered services to ensure all children a chance to grow toward stable, productive adulthood. (1995) Support for: Making the needs of children a high priority of government. Effective services for children, including: (a) collaboration across departmental and agency lines to provide seamless services for children. (b) community-based points of entry where families at risk can apply for multiple services. (c) consumer-oriented service centers sited in easily accessible neighborhood locations (such as schools) with hours convenient to families. (d) a compatible computer system with appropriate safeguards for confidentiality, connecting agencies serving children to allow more open collaboration and provide comprehensive resource listing. (e) a non-categorized contingency fund, with rational limits and clear accountability, available to line workers dealing with crisis situations. (f) early intervention to prevent later crisis. (g) result-oriented, long term evaluations of program and services based on measured outcomes.

Domestic Violence

LWVMD takes - Action to support preventing initial and repeat occurrences of violence against spouses, domestic partners, the elderly, and children. - Action to support a strong statewide response to violence that is integrated, interdisciplinary, and adequately funded, involving all segments of the law-enforcement and judicial systems, the medical community, the schools, social services, animal care and control agencies, and the private sector, with a primary focus on the safety of victims. (2000)

Drunk Driving

LWVMD takes Action to promote strong governmental measures and educational programs to address the problems of the drinking driver. (1983) Support for: -a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) not to exceed 0.08 standing as both the legal definition of driving while intoxicated and absolute proof of guilt-per-se in alcohol-related driving offenses. -the administration of BAC tests when there is a probable cause to believe that a driver is under the influence of alcohol. -courts and other agencies expediting the handling of alcohol-related driving offenses. -statewide guidelines for rehabilitation programs, which should be locally administered, with costs shared by the offenders. -judge's use of a variety of sentences for alcohol-related offenses.

Education

LWVMD takes - Action to support measures which recognize the primary responsibility for funding public elementary and secondary education lies with the state. (1972, 1975) - Action to support the state aiding local school systems in attracting and retaining competent teachers. (1989) - Action to oppose using public funds for private schools for vouchers for elementary and secondary school students. Voucher programs permit parents to use public funds to send their children to private schools. (2001) - Action to encourage the inclusion of the following criteria in any legislation or regulations governing the establishment of Public Charter Schools (2001) -Action to insure students have an opportunity to pass high school graduation tests. (2005)

Charter Schools

LWVMD Takes Action to encourage the inclusion of the following criteria in any legislation or regulations governing the establishment of Public Charter Schools. No consensus was reached on whether we oppose or support Public Charter Schools. (2001) -Public Charter Schools must be nonsectarian, nonreligious, nonprofit, and not home-based; -Applications may be submitted by a variety of groups or organizations, including, but not limited to, parents, teachers and institutions of higher learning; -Local boards of education determine which groups or organizations will be granted contracts (i.e.,"charters"), with the right to an appeal of that decision to the state board of education; -Waivers (to be specified in the contract) may include some public school regulations governing curriculum, calendar, and teaching methodology. No waivers may be granted from regulations governing fiscal accountability, nor (as specified by federal regulations) from civil rights or health and safety standards; -Quarterly financial reports should be made to the local school board; -Academic standards, including testing, required of other public school students must be met; -Admission must be non-discriminatory and open on a first-come, first-served basis to all students who wish to apply; -Public Charter Schools must be funded at the same per pupil level as students in other public schools.

Competent Teachers

LWVMD takes Action to support the state aiding local school systems in attracting and retaining competent teachers. (1989) LWVMD Supports: -the state setting realistic minimum beginning salaries. -the state funding scholarships for college education of qualified candidates entering the teaching profession, particularly for those agreeing to teach in critical subject areas or in school systems with critical teacher shortages. -the state supporting alternative paths to certification. -the state providing support for professional development activities. -the state encouraging the use of support staff to enable teachers to spend time with students and their learning problems.

Financing Education

LWVMD Takes Action to support measures which recognize the primary responsibility for funding public elementary and secondary education lies with the state. (1972, 1975) Support for: -a foundation program based on a weighted per pupil formula supported from general state revenues at a level high enough to eliminate inequities. -some local leeway to provide additional funding for education. continuation of local control over the schools. -the encouragement of increased federal funding for education.

HS Graduation Testing

LWVMD Takes Action to insure students have an opportunity to pass high school graduation tests. (2005) As long as passage of academic tests (High School Assessments) is required for graduation, the following conditions should be in place to insure students have a fair opportunity to pass: -Access to curriculum and instructional materials aligned with state standards -Access to a high quality educational program, including advanced placement courses -Access to well qualified teachers -Timely and specific results -Multiple opportunities to pass the test -In-school and after-school tutoring and remediation -Opportunities to retake a course or take a mini-course -Alternate ways to demonstrate mastery of the subject To insure every student the opportunity and resources to pass tests, the state should fund: -Pre-school education -Professional staff development (curriculum, learning styles, cultural differences, expectations of students) -Curriculum development and textbooks aligned with core curriculum -Smaller class size -Technical assistance to identify reasons for low academic achievement No consensus was reached on whether passage of statewide, course-related testing should be required to determine eligibility for high school graduation.

School Vouchers

LWVMD Takes Action to oppose using public funds for private schools for vouchers for elementary and secondary school students. Voucher programs permit parents to use public funds to send their children to private schools. (2001)

Equality of Opportunity (Civil Marriage)

Legislative Priority in 2008 LWVMD takes action to ensure that Maryland law does not discriminate in its recognition of all marriages/civil unions on the basis of gender or religious definitions of marriage. (2007) LWVMD Supports: State sanctioned, legally recognized unions which convey rights, benefits and obligations to same-sex partners who seek such unions. Recognition of such unions and/or same-sex marriages that have been legally sanctioned in other states. With preference for: In keeping with the principle of separation of church and state, making the basis of state recognition of all marriages/civil unions (same-sex or opposite-sex) a civil proceeding, with the additional step of marriage in accordance with religious traditions a voluntary option.

Health Care

Legislative Priority in 2007, 2008 LWVMD takes action to ensure a health care appeals system which protects patients, makes insurers accountable and objectively addresses patients' concerns. (1999) Support for: - Uniform state standards and guidelines for health care appeals (including time frames for responding to appeals and qualifications required of reviewers, requiring professional standards be used in making decisions on appeals.) - Collection of health care data which can be used to hold health insurers accountable and which is understandable and accessible to patients.

Housing

Legislative Priority in 2007, 2008 LWVMD takes action to develop a state housing policy responsive to the need for more affordable and workforce housing and to clarify landlord/tenant relationships. (1982, 1983) LWVMD Supports:

one state entity charged with and held accountable for establishing housing policies, programs and goals; periodically collecting and analyzing data; and reviewing housing programs.
housing programs funded by bonds and general revenues.
housing programs targeted to those geographic areas with proportionally the highest level of housing assistance needs.
new construction or rehabilitation to promote economic development.
the change of state landlord/tenant laws to require a clearly written lease which states the rights and responsibilities of both parties and includes a warranty of habitability.
requirement of landlords to state reasons for either terminating tenancy or initiating eviction proceedings.
the establishment of local and/or regional landlord/tenant offices and quasi-judicial commissions throughout Maryland.
the use of manufactured/mobile housing and the development of manufactured/mobile home subdivisions to meet the need for affordable and available housing.