Success Stories
A WIN! Senate Bill 134 Asset Test
A WIN! Senate Bill 134, The removal of the Asset Test on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families: In 2006, Women’s FAN members partnered with the All Families Deserve a Chance Coalition (AFDC Coalition) to help pass SB 134. SB 134, sponsored by Senator Paula Sandoval and Representative Betty Boyd (now Senator Betty Boyd), raised the Temporary Assistance to Need Family (TANF) asset limit from $2,000 to $15,000 and excludes retirement, education and health savings accounts, among other savings vehicles, when it took effect in October of 2006.
SB 134 encourages low-income families who can to save and create a small personal safety net for emergencies and the future. SB 134 ensures that low-income families don’t forfeit prospects for long-term economic security because they need short-term, temporary assistance.
A WIN! Governor Ritter’s Pay Equity Commission through the Department of Labor and Employment
In 2007, The Women’s FAN decided that pay equity was the coalition’s top priority. 9to5 National Association of Working Women conducted an analysis of the problem and solution components, as well as a scan of the state political power structure, our potential allies and our opponents. We determined that the most effective strategy for the short- and long-term would be to win the creation of a Pay Equity Commission to bring experts from varied sectors together to study the problem, issue findings and make recommendations.
The great news is that Government leadership agreed and established the Pay Equity Commission. 9to5 Colorado worked to engage experts from around the State to sit on the Commission. Experts included representation from the for-profit, business world, Universities, research, Union and nonprofit organizations.
During 2007, full and half day meetings were scheduled on a bi-weekly basis; working closely with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment on staffing of the Commission; identifying, scheduling, prepping and arranging travel, materials and other support as needed for local and national experts in the field; organizing and conducting pre-meetings for allies on the Commission.
9to5 worked with DOLE in developing agendas, materials and follow-up for these meetings; one-to-one in-depth meetings with at least ten of the Commission members at least every other month.
The report is complete and a copy can be found at www.wfco.org The Foundation’s grantee partners were successful as passing SJR 32, the 2008 Equal Pay Day resolution, calling upon the state to adopt the recommendations of the Colorado Pay Equity Commission.
We hope that the Commission’s recommendations and 9to5’s blueprint will inform the general public and the Foundation on pay equity issues. In the long-term, we hope to lead and win campaigns resulting in public policy change that leads to significant progress in closing the pay gap.
A WIN! Senate Bill 122 Wage Transparency Act
In 2008, The Foundation’s grantee partners passed SB 122 – the Wage Transparency Act that makes it a discriminatory or unfair labor practice for an employer to discharge, discipline, discriminate against, coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with an employee because the employee inquired about, disclosed, compared, or otherwise discussed wages; to require as a condition of employment nondisclosure by an employee of his or her wages; or to require an employee.
The Wage Transparency Act protects employees who share salary information with their co-workers. The lack of information, or transparency, about wages and salaries is a key obstacle to proving and correcting pay discrimination.
A WIN! 2008 November Ballot Amendment Opposition
Colorado voters faced one of the largest November ballots in state history. Several of the ballot initiatives could have affected the women and girls of our state. The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s Board of Trustees officially opposed the following two amendments:
A WIN! for Colorado’s Women and Girls
OPPOSED: No on 48 - The “Personhood” Amendment
Amendment 48 would have defined the word “person” in our state constitution to include a fertilized egg. This Amendment was the first of its kind being pushed by a narrow minority with an extreme political agenda and would threaten quality health care and patient privacy. The Women’s Foundation of Colorado opposed Amendment 48 because of its potential threat to a woman’s economic livelihood and the decrease in access to family planning methods for Colorado’s women and girls. The Women’s Foundation of Colorado opposed Amendment 48 because it simply goes too far.
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is proud to announce the amendment did not win.
OPPOSED: No on 46 - The “Anti” Civil Rights Amendment
Amendment 46 would have eliminated equal opportunity programs for women and minorities. It was a constitutional amendment called the “Colorado Civil Rights Initiative”.
Amendment 46 generated intense controversy, not only because of its potential consequences but also because of charges that it is misleading. If Amendment 46 passed, state programs that aimed to increase opportunities for women and minorities in education or business would have potentially be eliminated. The Foundation opposed this Amendment as it could have eliminated state and local programs that targeted women & minorities such as: Fair housing and lending programs, programs that increase and promote diversity in higher education, public school programs that expose girls and minorities to math, science and technology professions that have long been dominated by men, minority and women-owned business contracting opportunities and pay equity for women.
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is proud to announce that amendment did not win.