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Act Now to Defend Human Rights in Maine
Tell the Legislative Council you Support Legislation to Reduce the Use and Abuse of Solitary Confinement
Tell the Legislative Council you Support Legislation to Reduce the Use and Abuse of Solitary Confinement
Over the past three months, concerned Maine citizens have worked to develop appropriate legislation to address longstanding abuses in the segregation units of Maine State Prisons. Last week, Representative Jim Schatz (Blue Hill) submitted the legislation. This is an important step to create the critical dialogue necessary to advocate for true prison reform in this state and end human-rights violations in our correctional facilities. Attached to this email is the bill language in its entirety. READ THE PDF HERE.
Now the Legislative Council will decide whether to accept the bill for the upcoming 2010 legislative session. THEY MAKE THEIR DECISION ON OCTOBER 15th. The Legislative Council comprises of leadership from both the Democratic and Republican parties from both the House and the Senate. Every other year in Maine, the state's legislative session is a "short" or "emergency" session. The session that begins in January 2010 is one of these sessions. Therefore, the Council decides which bills to pick up. We need to generate bi-partisan support for this bill from both Republicans and Democrats. PLEASE MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.
The Council needs to understand the human rights crisis that is taking place in segregation units in Maine, so that they can make the right decision in a few weeks and decide to accept this bill.
The long-term use of solitary confinement is nothing short of torture. WE DON'T TORTURE IN MAINE!
WE NEED YOUR HELP
1. Can you host a potluck in the next week (or weekend) to gather letters of support for this campaign?
2. If you live in the district of one of these elected officials, can you arrange a meeting with them?
3. Can you send in a hand-written letter to these elected officials?
4. Can you email all of these elected officials?
5. Can you forward this email onto all of your friends and family in Maine?
WE HAVE MATERIALS TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORT IN ANYWAY!
by taking just a few minutes to help with this campaign, we can help to improve the lives of hundreds of Mainers!
STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN MAINE AND ACT TODAY!
LET'S CHANGE THINGS TOGETHER!
LET'S CHANGE THINGS TOGETHER!
Contact the following Legislative Council Members to express your support for Schatz's An Act to Reduce the Use and Abuse of Solitary Confinement.
For more info on the use of solitary confinement in US Prisons read:
DEMOCRATS
Representative Hannah Pingree (Speaker of the House)
P. O. Box 243
North Haven, ME 04853
(207) 287-1300
hannah@pingree.com
District Towns: Brooklin, Deer Isle, Frenchboro, Isle au Haut, Mount Desert (part), North Haven, Stonington, Swan's Island, Tremont and Vinalhaven
Senator Libby Mitchell (Senate President)
277 Cushnoc Road
Vassalboro, ME 04989
207 622-2629
http://www.mainesenate.org/mitch... (email link)
District Towns: Augusta, China, Vassalboro, Oakland, Sidney
Senator Philip Bartlett (Senate Majority Leader)
141 South Street
Gorham, Maine 04038
207 324-4198
http://www.mainesenate.org/bartl... (email link)
District Towns: Gorham, part of Scarboroug, part of Westbrook
Senator Lisa Marrache (Assistant Senate Majority Leader)
109 Silver Street
Waterville, Maine 04901
http://www.mainesenate.org/marra... (email link)
District Towns: part of Waterville, Winslow, Albion, Benton, Unity Twnsp, Clinton, Pittsfield, Detroit
Representative John Piotti (House Majority Leader)
1075 Albion Road
Unity, ME 04988
(207) 287-1430
piotti@uninets.net
District Towns: Burnham, Freedom, Knox, Montville, Palermo, Thorndike, Troy and Unity
Representative Seth Berry (Assistant House Leader)
1245 River Road
Bowdoinham, ME 04008
(207) 737-4149
seth@sethberry.org
District Towns: Bowdoin, Bowdoinham and Richmond, plus the unorganized territory of Perkins Township
REPUBLICANS
Senator Kevin Raye (Senate Minority Leader)
63 Sunset Cove Lane
Perry, Maine 04667
207 853-9406
SenatorRaye@wwsisp.com
District Towns: all of Eastern Washington County starting in Waltham
Senator Jonathan Courtney (Assistant Minority Leader)
31 Birchwood Lane
Springvale, Maine 04083
207 324-5467
SenJon.Courtney@legislature.main...
District Towns: Alfred, Limington, Lyman, Sanford and Waterboro
Representative Joshua Tardy (House Minority Leader)
P. O. Box 381
Newport, ME 04953
(207) 368-2828
tardylaw@roadrunner.com
District Towns: Corinna, Corinth (part), Exeter, Newport and Plymouth
Representative Philip Curtis (Assistant House Minority Leader)
93 Blackwell Hill Road
Madison, ME 04950
(207) 696-3052
pdcurtis2@hotmail.com
District Towns: Madison, Norridgewock and Solon
