1. Challenges to Impartial Justice law

2. Census Day of Action

3. Mental health parity

The new Impartial Justice law, providing full public financing for Supreme Court elections, has been challenged by two lawsuits: one from Wisconsin Right to Life, which often targets candidates in judicial elections, and another from Judge Randy Koschnick, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Supreme Court earlier this year. Both suits claim that parts of the new law are unconstitutional. The League of Women Voters heartily supported passage of the Impartial Justice bill.

Pastors from the African-American, Latino, and Hmong Churches in Milwaukee wll gather at 5:30 today to urge congregations and members of often undercounted communities to participate in the 2010 Census, as Mary and Joseph did in Bethlehem. The effort is supported by the We Count! Wisconsin coalition, of which the League of Women Voters is a member. The group is working to achieve an accurate count for Wisconsin, particularly among groups usually undercounted. For more information:  PRESS ADVISORY

State Senator Dave Hansen announced today that SB 362, the Wisconsin Mental Health and Substance Abuse Parity Act, has been recommended for passage on a bi-partisan vote by the Senate Health Committee. Unfortunately, Woodman’s Food Market, the large Wisconsin grocery retailer, is dropping mental health benefits from its health insurance plan because it claims it cannot afford to comply with a new federal law which does not require companies to offer mental health coverage but mandates that if they do, it must be equal to benefits for other illnesses. The League supports coverage for mental health services.

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Happy Holidays from the League of Women Voters!