Bring Issues of Peace, Pentagon Spending and Nuclear Disarmament into
your State Legislature!
Mobilize your State Legislators and their Constituents (Above- Poor People's Campaign bringing Moral Budget requests to Mass State Legislatue):
In this period when progress is so difficult in the US Congress, State Legislatures provide a valuable venue to promote a Moral Budget, resist bloated Pentagon Budgets, and press for Nuclear Disarmament.
In Massachussetts a Commonwealth Peace and Justice Coalition has worked with progressive legislators for a number of years, to introduce bills addressing the war economy, militarism and a Moral Budget. Among these are bills calling for:
-Divestment of State pension funds from companies manufacturing nuclear weapons;
-Divestment from companies supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia;
-Taxpayers Budget Transparency and Right to Know Act, reporting how tax dollars are spent; and a
-Moral Budget for Massachusetts, establishing a Commission to report on impact of enacting the Poor Peoples Campaign Moral budget priorities.
Back from the Brink groups have filed Back from the Brink bills in California, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon and Rhode Island
The hearings on such bills provide an opportunity for public testimony and political mobilization.
In most states any legislator can file a bill for consideration by the legislature body. The effort can be initiated by a local group, without statewide presence. Once filed, residents and organizations throughout the state can be called upon to press their local legislator to support the bill.
This enables a small committee to develop a statewide campaign.
You can use existing bills as a template for legislation in your State, working together with a friendly State Representative or Senator. Find templates at
Steering Committee: Chair, MA State Rep Carol Doherty; Prof. Jonathan Alan King (Co-chair of Mass Peace Action Board); Maryellen Kurkolos (Mass Peace Action); Jill Nelson (Alliance for Sustainable Colorado); Tony Palomba (Watertown Citizens for Environmental Justice); Paul Shannon (AFSC).
Contact Jonathan King for more information [email protected].