Young Democrats of Rhode Island

June 3, 2016June 3, 2016

Young Dems endorse Susan Donovan for Rep Gallison’s vacant seat

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YDRI is proud to announce our endorsement of Susan Donovan in the democratic primary for House District 69, Bristol/Portsmouth. While it is rare for YDRI to make an endorsement this early, we felt in Susan’s case it was warranted. In our conversations with Susan, it became immediately clear that she was both an exceptional candidate and would make an equally exceptional representative.

At YDRI we hold ourselves accountable to three goals. One getting young Rhode Islanders involved in politics. Two getting young Rhode Islanders elected to office. Three pushing policies that help young people not only stay, but thrive in our state. It was in the final regard that Susan stood out. From her 33 years as an public school educator, Susan demonstrated a strong understanding of our public education system and both it’s strengths and weaknesses.

She made it clear that providing a quality education and working to make college affordable for all would be among her top priorities. We at YDRI believe a knowledgeable voice dedicated to education is desperately needed at the State House and we believe Susan will be a strong advocate not only for her district but for young Rhode Islanders everywhere.

YDRI wholeheartedly endorses Susan Donovan for the Democratic Primary in HD 69, Bristol/Portsmouth.

March 23, 2016

Millennial-based orgs praise RI Senate leaders for supporting proposal to regulate and tax marijuana

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Some of the state’s most prominent millennial-based civic engagement organizations are praising state Senate leaders for supporting legislation that would end marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol.

In a letter to Majority Leader Dominick Ruggerio and other members of the Senate on Tuesday, leaders of the Young Democrats of Rhode Island and Students for Sensible Drug Policy thanked the senators for backing S 2420 because it would “improve Rhode Island’s ability to protect students, retain graduates, attract young professionals and create opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs.” The full letter is available below.

S 2420 would make possession of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 years of age and older, and it would establish a tightly controlled system of licensed marijuana cultivation sites, testing facilities, and retail stores.

“It’s a sensible proposal that is long overdue, and we are proud to stand with you in support of it,” the letter reads. “The time has come for Rhode Island to move forward and leave the antiquated policy of marijuana prohibition behind.”

A poll conducted in April of 2015 found that nearly three out of four voters aged 18 to 34 support regulating and taxing marijuana similarly to alcohol. The full results of the poll can be found here.

Full letter from Rhode Island youth leaders to ranking members of the Rhode Island Senate:

Dear Honorable Members of the Rhode Island Senate,

We are writing on behalf of our organizations and their many members across Rhode Island to express our gratitude for your support of S 2420, the Marijuana, Regulation, Control, and Taxation Act.

The Young Democrats of Rhode Island and Students for Sensible Drug Policy represent a diverse group of young, civically engaged Rhode Islanders who share a commitment to promoting the health, safety, and general welfare of our communities. We strongly support S 2420 because it would dramatically enhance Rhode Island’s ability to protect teens, retain graduates, attract young professionals, and create opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Our state’s current policy of marijuana prohibition has caused far more problems than it has solved. It has failed to prevent teens from accessing marijuana. It has disproportionately impacted lower-income communities and communities of color. And rather than eliminating the supply of marijuana, prohibition has forced it into an underground market in which consumers aren’t asked for ID, they don’t know what they’re getting, and they’re often exposed to other, more harmful substances.

S 2420 would replace our state’s underground marijuana economy with a regulated market for adults. Marijuana would be sold by licensed businesses that test their products, label them, and only sell them to adults who provide proof of age. These companies would also create good jobs for Rhode Islanders and generate tens of millions of dollars in new tax revenue to fund vital state programs and services.

It is a sensible proposal that is long overdue, and we are proud to stand with you in support of it. The time has come for Rhode Island to move forward and leave the antiquated policy of marijuana prohibition behind.

Sincerely,

Michael Beauregard
Young Democrats of Rhode Island

Shmuel Barkan
Brown University Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Patrick Shea
University of Rhode Island Students for Sensible Drug Policy

February 9, 2016

Young Dems endorse RhodeWorks

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Rhode Island’s ailing infrastructure is in dire need of repair, with nearly 1 in 4 bridges considered structurally deficient, and continues to lag behind the rest of the nation — leading us to being ranked 50th out of 50 states in regards to bridge quality.

RhodeWorks provides Rhode Islanders the unique opportunity to not only repair our infrastructure, but to create thousands of new, middle class jobs that will revitalize our state’s economy.

As Young Democrats, we believe that our system of roads and bridges should be well-maintained and built to promote economic development, connect workers with jobs, and knit together our communities.

By acting now, Rhode Island will realize significant savings, as opposed to the long-standing practice of delaying while our infrastructure becomes more and more unsafe.

The Young Democrats of Rhode Island applaud Governor Raimondo, Senate President Paiva Weed, and Speaker Mattiello for their leadership on this issue, and we urge the General Assembly to support and pass RhodeWorks as soon as possible. It is time for Rhode Island to rebuild not only our bridges and roads, but our economy as well.

[From a YDRI press release]

February 25, 2015February 26, 2015

Experts agree: Criminalizing HIV transmission a ‘backwards step’

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If freshman legislator Robert Nardolillo accomplished anything with the introduction of legislation that seeks to criminalize the transmission of HIV, it was to demonstrate the hard won strength and unity of the LGBTQ and medical community in resisting a return to the ignorance, fear and stigma attached to the disease in the 1980s.

Though Nardolillo, in presenting his bill to the House Judiciary Committee claims to have done research on the issue, it became immediately obvious that he had not talked to any of the assembled experts in public health policy in the room last night. If anything, it looks like Nardolillo’s research amounted to little more than copying section 44-29-140 of a draconian and unhelpful South Carolina law passed in 1988, at the height of AIDS hysteria in the United States.

Nardolillo, who did not respond to my request to answer questions before the hearings, did speak to Zack Ford at ThinkProgress and when confronted with studies demonstrating the dangers of this kind of legislation, showed himself to be impervious to reason, saying,

‘Have I read the research? I did,’ Nardolillo confirmed, saying that he still felt that HIV was too serious not to prosecute in a distinct way.

Stephen Hourahan, Executive Director of AIDS Project RI strongly disagreed. The legislation’s passage, said Hourahan, “would mark a backwards step” in dealing with HIV. Since the bill criminalizes knowingly transmitting HIV, the bill will, “privilege the ignorance of not knowing your status.” We don’t want the mantra to be, “Take the test and risk arrest,” said Hourhan, adding that such a bill would create a “viral underclass” and should be opposed by all.

Paul Fitzgerald, executive director AIDS Care Ocean State, echoed Hourahan’s comments, adding, “I don’t believe that it’s smart” to pass such a bill.

Anthony Maselli, a healthcare worker and LGBTQ activist, said that transmission of HIV with “malicious intent is improbable and rare.” The law, says Maselli, “adds insult to injury” and is “a slap in the face.” At the conclusion of his excellent testimony, Maselli was greeted with applause from those crowded into the room.

Anthony DeRose, representing the Rhode Island Democratic Party LGBTQ Caucus and the Young Democrats of Rhode Island pointed out that as a country, we are in the process of rolling back similar laws. Laws such as the one Nardolillo introduced, said DeRose, are “outdated.”

Dr. Amy Nunn of Brown University, who I featured in a piece back in December during a State House event held for World AIDS Day, said that passage of such a law would set back decades of work here in Rhode Island. She called Dr. Michael Fine of the Rhode Island Department of Health a visionary for suggesting that Rhode island might be the first state to eliminate HIV transmission through sound public policy.

Rounding out the night’s testimony was Miriam Hospital’s Kristen Pfeiffer, chair of the RI HIV Prevention Coalition and Ben Klein, a Senior Attorney at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. Both were vociferous and forceful in firmly opposing the legislation.

In the face of such strong opposition, it seems extremely unlikely that this legislation will advance out of committee.