Dear Friends, 

Cheers to a healthy and prosperous New Year! This photo was taken post-vaccination/pre-Omicron at the Easter Seals guest bartender fundraiser where I learned how to pour beer for customers at Iron Hill Brewery.  As a teetotaler, I was feeling very proud of myself!

Looking back on 2021, we have a lot to celebrate, but we also face daunting challenges. Because of the generosity of so many of you, our end of year fundraising report will look great, however, I am $1200 short of my goal for the year. We have until midnight on December 31st to reach it.  Would you consider helping us out?

The stakes are high. With Congress unable to act, it is left up to state legislatures to ensure we protect women’s reproductive rights in Delaware and reinvigorate our economy by supporting working families.

The Delaware General Assembly did act in 2021 and will continue to act. This past year we passed weighted funding for low-income students, enhanced mental health services in schools, community solar projects, increased renewable energy standards, common-sense gun safety legislation, and pay increases for our public-school teachers and our State police. Personally, I championed a package of four bills addressing the opioid crisis, all of which have been signed into law, and we worked with our institutions of higher education to ensure students in teacher preparation programs are trained in high quality literacy education so that all Delaware students will be reading at grade level by 3rd grade.

In 2022, we will be fighting to pass Paid Family Leave, Universal Pre-K, and Affordable Childcare, all policies I am working hard with my colleagues to realize. In addition, we are facing attacks on women's bodily autonomy right here in the first state, with municipalities passing unconstitutional ordinances as in Seaford, Delaware.  

We return to session on January 11th, and I want to know what your priorities are in this coming year.  I have legislation in the pipeline to address literacy in our elementary schools, to address adequate staffing of inclusion classes, to support school resource officers through training tailored to the school environments in which they work, and to support workers who are subject to workplace harassment.  

What else would you like me to consider?  We have a full six months ahead during which much can be accomplished.  

Please do not hesitate to email, call, or text me any time with your ideas, questions, or concerns. 

My personal email is [email protected] and my cell phone number is 302-388-0662.

And if you can, please help us meet our goal with a donation of $22, $122, or $222 by midnight 12/31.

To Donate, click here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/friendsoflaura-1

With gratitude, 

Laura