The UU Legislative Watch Network of Maryland is a communications network of 20 UU congregations located throughout Maryland.   This project seeks to provide members of these congregations with timely information concerning ethical, religious or social justice issues embedded in specific pieces of legislation at both the state and national level, this to help people make informed decisions about expressing their views on these issues to their legislators.

Here is how it works.  Anyone can suggest a particular issue.  It should focus on a specific bill currently before Congress or the state legislature, and should involve a substantial, well-defined religious, ethical or social justice issue.  

The draft of a Legislative Watch message is prepared and sent out to a “virtual committee” who “meet” only by email.  They are asked whether or not the message should be sent out to the congregational network.  The approved message is emailed to a contact person in each UU congregation, with the request that they in turn email it out to members of their own congregation.  Contact people may at their discretion decide to use the Legislative Watch message as received, to modify it or not use it at all.  They also decide on the list of persons to whom the message will be sent.

The entire process can be accomplished quickly -- in a day or two.

See the links below for recent Legislative Watch messages.  

Civil Marriage – February 6, 2008

Farm Bill - November 15, 2007

Health Care - October 28, 2007

Maryland Budget - October 18, 2007

Darfur Divestment - October 2, 2007

Clean Water—March 10, 2008

Global Warming—February 29, 2008

UULM-MD is funded in part by the Fund for UU Social Responsibility and the UU Service Committee.

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Unitarian Univeralist Legislative Ministry of Maryland
c/o Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis
333 Dubois Road | Annapolis, MD 21401
410.353.5904 (phone) | info@uulmmd.org