YEO Network
Announcement
(Continued)
MEMBERSHIP
YEO F r o n t l i n e N e w s • S u m m e r 2016 • PG 3
POLICY
PROVIDENCE, RI – Online Voter Registration Moves Forward in Rhode Island
In April, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo signed into law two bills permitting online voter
registration. The House bill, sponsored by YEO state Representative Aaron Regunberg, calls
on the state’s top elections official to set up a digital portal through which residents can add or
update their voting information.
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PROVIDENCE, RI – Rhode Island YEO Passes Net
Metering Expansion
Renewable energy legislation cleared the Rhode Island
General Assembly last month, including a provision by
YEO Aaron Regunberg that expands net metering.
The practice allows those who sell the renewable energy
they generate back to the grid to receive a credit on their
bill, but only if they have solar panels or other generating
equipment on their property. Regunberg’s bill expands
net metering to the 75 percent of state residents without
sufficient rooftop solar generating capacity, including
those in apartments and affordable housing. “As we transition to a clean energy economy, we can’t
leave anyone behind, so it is critical that we open net metering to all Rhode Islanders – not just
those who can afford to build a full system individually,” he noted. Regunberg was a participant in
the 2016 Clean Energy & Environmental Justice Policy Academy.
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ALBANY, NY – New York Passes YEO’s Narcan Bill
The New York legislature recently passed YEO Network member Sen. David Carlucci’s bill
requiring that pharmacies carry naloxone, used to reverse opioid overdoses, over the counter. The
drug is an effective tool in the fight against the rising tide of deaths linked to opioids. “We’re
saving lives by having naloxone available,” Carlucci said.
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w w w .YEON e t w o r k . o r g
DENVER, CO – Colorado YEO Secures Benefits for Pregnant Workers
Last month, Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper signed into law a bill giving pregnant workers
additional workplace protections. Rep. Faith Winter’s House Bill 1438, which enjoyed bipartisan
support, limits what heavy materials pregnant workers can lift, mandates breaks for water and the
bathroom, provides for alternate seating arrangements for pregnant workers, and more. “I think
this is going to have a big impact,” said Winter, a member of the YEO Network.
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At the Network, Taif will be
providing you with policy
support, the latest updates and
resources from our strategic
partners, and connections
to innovative solutions for
your communities. We are
thrilled to have Taif join us
and we hope you have the
chance to connect with him at
[email protected].
In the News
NE
There, Taif helped design,
manage,
and
coordinate
humanitarian aid programs,
research
projects,
and
advocacy efforts. Taif also
served as a research intern for
Congressional Quarterly and
a legislative intern in the office
of Congressman Keith Ellison.
Taif ’s experience growing
up in Baghdad as a firsthand
witness to the consequences
of the 2003 war, and living as
an immigrant in the United
States, inspires his ambition to
promote social and economic
justice, diversity, and equality
for all.
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