Minnesota Initial Organizing Conference Call Agenda
Wednesday, July 18th at 1:00PM ET
Call-in Number: (530) 881-1400
Participant Access Code: 978895
- Welcome message
- Introduction and explanation of conference call Q & A
- Who is on the call?
Who is not here that needs to be here?
- Thank you for joining us for this historic event. The inaugural Secular Coalition for Minnesota monthly conference call!
- Despite the fact that there are tens of millions of nontheistic Americans, we remain one of the most marginalized groups in the country.
- The Secular Coalition for America is working to make sure that we are heard on Capitol Hill. We fight in Washington DC against religious privileging on a federal level, yet some of the most egregious violations of separation of church and state are being promoted and passed at a state level.
- The Secular Coalition for America is forming state chapters across the country. Our chapters will bring together secular Americans in each state to influence government officials, legislation, and regulations.
- Our first step in forming these chapters is our monthly conference calls.
- Goals/Stages of Chapter Development
- Development Stage
- Focus on setting up the structure, identifying leadership, identifying how the legislature in Minnesota operates and the best ways to meet the needs of the Secular Coalition for Minnesota
- On these initial calls we will be discussing the mission, purpose, and goals of the SCA chapters, the resources SCA can provide to SCA Chapters, the secular lobbying needs of your state, and the organizational structures of the chapters including leadership positions. No one is required to speak up, but there will be opportunities to do so.
- Official recognition
- Once your state chapter is organized, the leadership and a representative of the SCA will sign a memo of understanding officially recognizing the Secular Coalition for Minnesota and giving the group access to our resources (to be discussed in more depth later)
- Future monthly calls will become a way to educate and inform. They will focus on identifying and tracking legislation and regulations that affect the secular nature of state or local governance, or affect nontheists; and coordinate grassroots and in person lobbying efforts
- SCA Chapter Model
- A Secular Coalition for America state chapter is unlike any other nontheistic state organization -- it brings together interested organizations and individuals for the exclusive purpose of lobbying government officials.
- Challenges to past efforts to establish state chapters
- Lack of support for state volunteers
- Will provide resources to make it easier and more efficient
- Past funding challenges
- SCA will do all the fundraising and provide all resources the chapter needs
- New chapters are under the umbrella of the national organization
- Part of the Secular Coalition for America
- Under our C4 tax exemption, full C4 lobbying privileges
- Mission and Purpose of the Chapters
- Mission - to increase the visibility of and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all.
- Purpose - to accomplish its mission through cooperation between local groups and coordinated state lobbying activities
- Coalition Style
- Narrow mission and purpose
- We are the diplomats of the secular movement
- Not a membership organization - just a show of support for the lobbying activities of the coalition
- Executive Committee
- No set number of members or roles
- Flexible to availability and strengths of individuals who want to get involved
- Examples of Helpful Skills: leadership skills, familiarity with local groups, monitor legislation, conduct lobbying visits, mobilize grassroots, IT or website knowledge, social networking familiarity, comfortable speaking with press
- Lobbying Rules for Minnesota:
- Registration is free. A lobbyist is someone who makes more than $3000 or spends more than $250 in a year lobbying. Individuals who volunteer personal time within the limits outlined above need not register as a lobbyist.
- Legislation/Regulation Update
- Governor
- Mark Dayton, Democrat elected in 2010. Minnesota governors are elected every four years by a popular vote and have no term limit.
- Minnesota State Legislature
- Full title: The Minnesota State Legislature
- Part-time legislature not allowed to meet for more than 120 days in the two year period between elections, convenes on the first Monday in January and is not permitted to extend until after the first Monday following the third Saturday in May of any year
- Session ended May 10th.
- Senate has 67 members who serve 4-year terms (no term limits.) Republican controlled with 30 Democrats and 37 Republicans.
- The House of Representatives has 134 members who serve 2-year terms (no term limits). 61 Democrats, 72 Republicans, and 1 vacancy. Republican Controlled
- All seats up for reelection in 2012.
- State Legislation
- HR 6 (2011) - A house resolution recognizing May 3, 2012 as a Day of Prayer in Minnesota.
- SF 1308, HF 1613 (2011)- Bill to recognize marriage as only a union between one man and one woman, and constitutional amendment proposed.
- National issues sweeping the states
- Reframing discrimination as “religious freedom” or “religious liberty”
- Similar authorization of discrimination, this time by medical professionals with “Rights of Conscience” bills
- Does anyone know any legislation or regulation in Minnesota we should be watching?
- Initial Organizing Resources
- Conference calls
- Bill Tracking Software - CQ Statetrack
- Committee hearings calendar
- Full bill text and details
- Customizable reports
- Automatic web publishing
- Free bill tracking
- Website
- Temporarily: Secular.org>States>Your State>Minnesota
- Conference Call dates, times, numbers
- Call replays
- Agendas
- Sign up to receive alerts
- MN.secular.org subdomain
- Uses our template, but you will be able to update information
- Technical set-up work still needs to be done, hope to have up soon
- Use of our logo and name Secular Coalition for Minnesota
- Email Address for Chair/Co-Chairs
- Chair's name at secular.org
- Gmail Group for Leadership
- Will have a state@secular.org email address
- Ability to email all other state leaders at once
- All leaders will receive general info emails at their designated personal emails
- Facebook Page
- Set up for each state
- Will add leadership as admins
- Can schedule events
- Eventual Resources
- Promotional resources - brochures, stickers, buttons, handouts
- Informational resources - Research, fact sheets and policy papers
- Trainings and Guides - media and lobby trainings and guides
- National Update
- Powerpoints - general information about the SCA, available at secular.org/resources
- National Secular Calendar - secular.org homepage
- National Secular Update Weekly Conference Call
- Thursdays at Noon 559-726-1300 Code 199568
- Media
- We are looking for a supporter in Minnesota to be our media contact
- What we are doing until the next call:
- Coordinating the lobbying needs of Minnesota with best practices in organizational development and lobbying to create the best structure for MinnesotaMT.secular.org
- Comparing communications and bill tracking methods
- Identifying leadership
- What you can do:
- Contact us if interested in leadership
- Contact us if interested in being media point person
- Sign up on our website to receive info and updates
- Like the facebook page
- Check out your state chapters page for updates
- Spread the word about the next conference call!
- Next Conference Call Date and Time
- September 19th, 1PM ET; same call in number and code
- My contact information
- Kelly Damerow
- Research and Advocacy Manager, Secular Coalition for America
- Email: statechapters@secular.org
- Phone: 202-299-1091
- Thank you!