Anti Bullying Legislation Moves to the Senate in Michigan – Update

 On May 3rd, in the Judiciary Senate Committee Senators Jones, Senator Schuitmaker, and Senator Rocca voted after hearing testimony from students, parents, community organizations, civil rights commission, and a father who lost his son more then 10 years ago to suicide that occurred due to the daily effects of being bullied. Senator Bieda intro amendment as an attempt to meet in the middle and it was shot down.

Today MI anti bullying legislation is moving in the Senate and your voice needs to be heard today! Students are not protected and daily face bullying with no protections because Michigan is 1 in 5 state left with no anti bullying legislation. So far in  2011, MI has lost 5 of our youth to bullicide, suicide that comes from the effects of bullying daily. As a Michigander Against Bullying In Schools (MABIS) then you might agree its time to pass legislation to protect our youth, and act before we lose another student. We have the legislation on the Senate floor, Senate Bill 137 and it needs your action of speaking demanding that amendments be added to make it as the Governor as stated he wants passed, a comprehensive bill that includes all our students.

3 ways  to support right now! Call your legislator, contribute to support operations, attend events and volunteer. Read the details below!

1-  Call your state senator and tell them to support comprehensive anti bullying legislation by amendments to SB 137 on the senate floor to come from Senator Anderson. 

Check your location to your senator:   http://www.senate.michigan.gov/FindYourSenator/byaddress.htm  or by the directory here: http://www.senate.michigan.gov/members/alphamemberlist.htm 

Call Senator Rick Jones, Chair of the Judiciary Committee (Grand Ledge area)- 517-373-5849  to support amendments on the Senate floor to make SB 137 effective and comprehensive.

Call Senator Randy Richardville, Majority Leader of the Senate 517-373-3543 and call on him to support enumeration added to SB 137. Note he has voted in the past for enumerated anti bullying bills, we need his support again for the youth.

Call Senator Anderson’s office 517-373-1707 to thank for the year so of pushing the best bill we had SB45 that at this time is not moving and to support his office in proposing amendments to the SB 137 on the Senate floor when it is voted on, to make it inclusive, comprehensive and effective.

Remember to call and thank Senators who have supported and to let them know just how many of us in Michigan are standing with them for this, and to hold those not voting for our youth to be accountable for these votes often matching with the votes that are making record cuts to the education budgets for K-12 as well.

2- Contributions keep the program operations going to keep printing materials coming out, traveling for our consulting coordinator Adam Taylor around the state, as well as online we operations, community dialogues, calls, and dialogues with legislators, schools, partner organizations as well as efforts to have multiple lobby days to name a few activities. Without your support of making calls, coming out to talk to your legislators, friends, networks and making a $50 or other contribution support to cover the expenses we can not keep the pressure to pass SB 137 with amendments to have comprehensive anti bullying legislation in Michigan schools. 

Make checks out to EPICA Consulting LLC/Adam Taylor and put on the memo line MABIS. You must put MABIS on the memo line or the check will be returned to you. Upon receiving the check/donation a invoice/statement will be emailed/mailed to you on receiving your supportive contribution, what it will allow MABIS to conduct, and updates of the legislation. This will be in effect for 1-2 weeks until the filing for a PAC is completed and we have a updated website and message to you. Thank you for your support.

Mail to:

EPICA Consulting/ MABIS
24320 Seneca Ave,
Oak Park, MI
48237

If you wish to volunteer and support by being an advocate of MABIS please contact adam.mabis@yahoo.com or give a call to 810.479.6897 and we will get you information, events and what actions are needed to what you can give to get more support moving for inclusive safe schools in Michigan.

 3- Events:  

May 12^th – Rally for the Children 11am to 2pm at the Capital steps, we need your support in showing up and making it heard by the legislators that Michiganders are against bullying in schools, and seeking our legislators in the Senate to step it up and vote for the passage of comprehensive anti bullying legislation.  www.mattepling.com and www.bullypolice.com

May 14^th- Detroit Youth Roundtable, discussing solutions to issues that youth see in their communities and schools that are reported to the White House- 2727 Second Street, Detroit learn more contact Brandon Jessup @ Brandon.jessup@gmail.com who is the founder and Director of Moving Michigan Forward http://www.michiganforward.org

May 14^th- Gay Together in Faith Conference (GIFT) full day event at Pilgrim Church, Lansing http://www.gaysinfaithtogether.org/ (organization is homed in Grand Rapids)

May 14^th- Detroit PFLAG hosts the annual fundraiser dinner to support the work of Parents Friends of Lesbians and Gays throughout Michigan. Tickets are $60 and will be at the Ukraine Center in Detroit from 6:00-10:00pm. Contact Pam Harzlett for more information mailto:spankycatsmom@yahoo.com

May 15^th – Symposium addresses bullying 1:00pm to 6:00pm at 28123 Orchard Lake Road, Detroit

May 21^st – Michigan Progressive Policy Summit 2011 in Lansing, includes workshops on anti bullying to learn more speak with Karen DeMott and visit http://themichigansummit.org/category/progressive/

More events to come in time, if you have events please let us know by sharing to adam.mabis@yahoo.com or call 810.479.6897. If you wish to have MABIS table, attend, work with, speak you can request this, as well.

Thank you for the support.

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