Rhode Island Initial Organizing Conference Call Agenda

Tuesday, June 26th at 4:00PM ET
Call-in Number: (530) 881-1400
Participant Access Code: 978895

• Welcome message
  • Introduction and explanation of conference call Q & A
  • Thank you for joining us for this historic event. The inaugural Secular Coalition for Rhode Island monthly conference call!
  • Background about me
  • 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 Rhode Island operates and the best ways to meet the needs of the Secular Coalition for Rhode Island
    • 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 Rhode Island 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. 
  • Past efforts to establish state chapters
    • More support for state volunteers by making it easier and more efficient
    • Past funding challenges
  • 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 - The Secular Coalition for Rhode Island and the Secular Coalition for America share the common 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
  • Coalition members
    • Every person and organization that can fully support our mission we invite to be a part of the Secular Coalition for Rhode Island, which is just a show of support for the lobbying activities of the coalition
• Executive Committee
  • No set number of members, looking for special skills or desire to get involved
  • Opportunities available: communicate with national, network with local groups, monitor legislation, conduct lobbying visits, mobilize grassroots, IT knowledge
  • Potential roles: Co-chairs, communication chair, legislative chair
  • Lobbying Rules for Rhode Island:
    • LOBBYING: acting directly or soliciting others to act for the purpose of promoting, opposing, amending, or influencing in any manner the passage by the general assembly of any legislation or the action on that legislation by the governor.
    • LOBBYIST: any person who receives compensation for lobbying (remuneration received for services rendered as a lobbyist)
    • Registration: Free, must re-register yearly if a legislative lobbyist 
• Legislation/Regulation Update
  • Governor
    • Lincoln Chafee, Independent elected in 2010; Rhode Island governors can only serve 2 consecutive terms.
  • Rhode Island State Legislature
    • Full title: The Rhode Island General Assembly
    • Rhode Island convenes on the first Tuesday of every year.
    • Session stated January 3rd and ends mid-June 2012.
    • Senate has 38 members which serve 2 year terms (no limits). Democrat controlled. With 29 Democrats, 8 Republicans, and 1 Independent.
    • The House of Representatives has 75 members who serve 2 year terms (no limits). 65 Democrats and 10 Republicans. Democrat controlled.
    • All seats up for reelection in 2012.
  • State Legislation
    • Recent documented cases of blatant discrimination and harassment of nontheists—both by lawmakers and the community at large. For example, high school student Jessica Ahlquist successfully fought a legal battle to have a "School Prayer" banner removed from her school, on the basis that it violated the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. Harassment and discrimination Ahlquist received included:
      • State Representative, Peter Palumbo, called Ahlquist an "evil little thing.”
      • Local florists refused a delivery to Ahlquist.
      • Ahlquist received death threats and required police escorts to attend school.
    • The Rhode Island legislative session has previously opened with a prayer, such as the large prayer vigil and invocation to open the 2009-2010 session.
    • 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 Rhode Island we should be watching?
• Initial Organizing Resources
  • Coordination on Bill Tracking
    • Short term tracking through
      • Bill searching is available at http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Genmenu/
      • Legiscan.com
    • Long term tracking plans
      • Bill tracking we pay for if not cost prohibitive (CQ)
        • Committee hearings calendar
        • Full bill text
        • Customizable reports
        • Automatic web publishing
  • Use of our logo and name Secular Coalition for Rhode Island
  • Website
    • Pages on our secular.org website for each state
    • RI.secular.org subdomain
    • Uses our template, but you will be able to update information
    • Working to automate updates
  • 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
  • Recorded call available for replay
• 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
  • National Secular Calendar
  • National Secular Update Weekly Conference Call
    • Thursdays at Noon 559-726-1300 Code 199568
• Media
  • We are looking for a supporter in Rhode Island to be our media contact
    • Press interested in our chapters would like to speak with people involved in the forming of the Secular Coalition for Rhode Island
• Development
  • Why are we centralizing development?
• Who is not here that needs to be here?
• What we are doing until the next call:
  • Coordinating the lobbying needs of Rhode Island with best practices in organizational development and lobbying to create the best structure for Rhode IslandMT.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
  • Check out the state chapters page for updates
  • Spread the word about the next conference call!
    • Next Conference Call Date and Time
    • July 25th, 3-4PM 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!