State officials

[magid]

I've been calling my US senators and representative, and realized that I shouldn't ignore my state-level folks either. Obviously, they can't change federal anything, but I can ask them to make state policies/laws/guidelines that will help mitigate the awful of (insert whichever federal issue here).

I started by calling my state rep, and got an actual person, who seemed rather surprised to get a constituent call (?), recommending that I email the representative so she could see my concerns directly. OK, then.
(Not sure who yours are? This site will tell you if you put in your mailing address.)

This is the text I decided on. It's just what I wrote on my own, figuring that since I happen to live in a rather blue state, I don't need to be as convincing on the topics, just encouraging them to consider what more can be done. If I lived somewhere that I'd need to convince my elected officials, I'd likely spend more time crafting something more persuasive.

Hi,

I'm a constituent ($Town, $ZIP) writing to ask you if there is any way that the state can work to
A. support transfolk, especially kids, who are currently being targeted by the federal government. Withholding appropriate care is horrible, and can lead to a variety of bad things, up to and including death. This is not how we should be caring for our people.

B. resist the ICE raids that are targeting folks based on appearance, tearing them from their families. This is racial profiling, plain and simple, and it is wrong. Immigrants should be welcome here. If any are not upstanding, then the justice system can deal with that. The mere fact of moving to a new country is not a criminal act.

Thank you,

[me]

Comments

[ride_4ever]

Excellent!

[hermionesviolin]

idk how much email state-level legislators get, but I've definitely been impressed at how many personal responses I get from Rep. Barber -- as opposed to the much more boilerplate responses from Clark and Markey.

Progressive Mass announced their 2025-2026 Legislative Agenda today.

It doesn't have anything specific about trans folks, though it does include:

Privacy rights are essential to protect abortion patients and providers, trans people and their families, journalists, and more from attack by bad actors.

Location Shield Act (HD.2965 / SD.501)

* Title: An Act to protect safety and privacy by stopping the sale of location data

* Lead Sponsors: Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian; Sen. Cindy Creem

* What It Does: Prohibits companies from selling cell phone location data

On immigration, there's:

Safe Communities Act (HD.3816 / SD.1670)

* Title: An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents

* Lead Sponsors: Reps. Manny Cruz & Priscila Sousa; Sens. Jamie Eldridge & Liz Miranda

* What It Does: Limits local and state police collaboration with federal immigration agents, bars law enforcement and court personnel from inquiring about immigration status, protects access to justice in our courts, and ensures due process protections

Immigrant Legal Defense Act (HD.4072 / SD.2057)

* Title: An Act ensuring access to equitable representation in immigration proceedings

* Lead Sponsors: Reps. Dave Rogers & Frank Moran; Sen. Adam Gomez

* What It Does: Creates a funded program for legal defense of immigrants facing deportation proceedings, especially those in federal detention

[magid]

Thank you!

[hermionesviolin]

You're welcome :)

I have now dug up the website for Progressive Mass' 2025-2026 Legislative Agenda in case you're interested: https://www.progressivemass.com/2025-2026-legislative-agenda/

[lightbird]

Thank you for the template. They are so helpful.

And yeah, state governments can definitely make policy and laws to protect their constituencies, and it slows things down/is sand in the gears.