Parents like mine agreed decades ago that one parent would work outside the home for an income while the other would work inside the home raising children. A circumstance like a divorce should not erase the loss of earning potential and professional experience that the stay-at-home parent has endured for such a mutual arrangement. When divorce happens (in my family's case, 19+ years into marriage), alimony laws should not empower alimony payors with the generic, destructive ability to retroactively (or even currently) claim that all of the earned income belongs to one of the parents and the other parent has to return to the workplace or vocational school at the age of a retiree. Governor Scott has the power to veto this bill and emphasize to our legislators that we are not a society that burdens aging, divorced parents with lost alimony as a result of a flawed Alimony Reform Bill. We must demand that for both our elders and children.

After the third schedule change, TN Ready testing is set to begin Monday, March 14, but some schools still don't have their supplies. Kids, parents, teachers and administrators are sick of dealing with this - enough is enough.

Jon Husted, the Ohio Secretary of State, is trying to suppress the youth vote of Ohio. Bernie Sanders recently filed a lawsuit against Jon Husted for his actions. To show our support for Bernie, we demand that Jon Husted be removed as Secretary of State of Ohio.

We are psychologically disturbed by the situations in Ethiopia and where it is heading. Peaceful people in Ethiopia are also affected by the ill-conceived political movement that is being led by Jawar Mohammad and its affiliates.

Mayor Kenney has proposed important initiatives that will directly benefit the education of children in Philadelphia, which will have broader benefits to society. Community schools can help to meet the comprehensive needs that children have - from social, emotional and health needs, to extended and enhanced learning, such as extended learning time and quality Pre-K. There are economic and social benefits when we improve conditions for children. Resource equity matters too - and for that, you need to make investments. Mayor Kenney's proposed tax on sugary drinks is a reasonable way to fund these programs that can have a real impact on quality of life and learning conditions.

UC's plan to cut down and poison 100,000 trees in the hills above the Berkeley campus will be an unmitigated environmental disaster. For both those of us who live in these hills as well as the many people of all ages who come from all over to walk, hike and bike on these beautiful shady trails, the idea that the forests that we all enjoy should be mowed down is totally unacceptable. Make no mistake about it; if this is allowed to happen UC would not only destroy animal habitat, but make a shady and cool area hot and dry, destabilize hillsides, cause the application of thousands of gallons of toxic herbicides on steep hillsides with myriad creeks, release tons of carbon dioxide, and increase the risk of the sorts of wildfires that have increasingly plagued California every summer. In short, this project would be an environmental disaster.

As a provider of case management services, I have experienced first hand how vital these services can be to members of our community. Case management services can prevent or shorten the time someone is homeless, ensure vulnerable members of our communities are fed and assist the recipients' of services so that they are able to develop the skills to live an independent and fulfilling life. The proposed changes to Section 17 would limit access to case management, skills development, day supports and other vital services. It is imperative that these services not be reduced to a specific vulnerable population and are available to those who need it.

General Assembly Republicans have proposed that the notorious extremist and former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, be placed on the Virginia Supreme Court. After forcing an unquestionably qualified jurist off the bench, they are engaged in a shameful last-minute ploy to install a radical conservative activist. We cannot allow this to happen. Contact our Delegate and Senator now and tell them Ken Cuccinelli cannot serve on the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Defending human rights in Honduras has become a life-threatening activity for Indigenous leaders. In an effort to stop them from defending their ancestral land they are harassed, kidnapped, seriously injured or killed. We need the Honduran government to hold the criminals accountable and to protect the Human Rights Activists that are in immanent danger. The Garifuna Nation is an international Garifuna organization with Representatives from the countries of: Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize and the United States of America. The main purpose of this organization is to preserve and promote our culture, monitor human rights violations, look after the social, political, economic and cultural interest of Garifuna people in the countries previously mentioned and to take appropriate actions to resolve any problems that our people are facing. Ms. Berta Caceres was an environmental activist and indigenous leader of the Lenca people, She was co-founder and coordinator of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH). In 2006, a group of indigenous Lenca people from Río Blanco were informed of a joint venture project between a Chinese company Sinohydro, the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, and Honduran company Desarrollos Energéticos (also known as DESA). They planned to construct a series of four dams on the Gualcarque River. This was a breach of international law which required that any and all projects concerning the land of the Lenca people were to be consulted and approved by them. Cáceres worked together with the community to mount a protest campaign. She organized legal actions and community meetings against the project, and took the case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Cáceres led COPINH and the local community in a year-long protest at the construction site to prevent the companies from accessing the land. In doing so she, the members of her organization and the community regularly received death threats and harassment. In May 2014, two separate attacks were carried out against the members of COPINH resulting in the deaths of two of the members. As a result, dozens of regional and international organizations called upon the Honduran government to stop criminalizing the defense of human rights, to protect the trailblazers of the Indigenous Human Rights Activists and to investigate threats against them. On February 20, 2016, over 100 protesters were detained by security while protesting, and threats against the organization began to increase. Despite the fact that the Honduran government was responsible for ensuring her safety, on Thursday March 3rd, 2016 Ms. Berta Caceres was assassinated in her home by unknown assailants during what the Honduran government deemed to be a “home invasion” and “robbery”. Due to the lack of evidence that would support a “home invasion” or a robbery”, said explanation is rejected by the members of her family, the people in her community and several other reputable human rights organizations in Honduras and abroad. As a result we ask that you join us in demanding the following from Honduran government: A full investigation on the assassination Human Rights Activist Ms. Berta Caceres. That the result of the investigation be released directly to the United Nations, OAS, US Secretary of State, Amnesty International providing access to the public; The immediate security and protection of other Honduran Indigenous Leaders and members of their organizations including our own Garifuna Leader Miriam Miranda, the President of OFRANEH; Your signing this petition will give a powerful voice to the indigenous organizations and human rights activists. It will show that you stand with us in the fight against the continued abuse and corruption of the Honduran Government. The President of Honduras swore to execute and uphold the Laws of the country on behalf of all of its citizens and we hope, pray and demand that he live by this oath. Attention: President of Honduras, Orlando Hernandez, United Nations Human Rights Commission, OAS Commission on Human Rights, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Amnesty International other International Human Rights Agencies, OFRANEH, AAGANIC, NGC, ONEGUA and all Garinagu Organizations.

The Obama Administration has announced that it will make the drone strike ("targeted killing") program more transparent, including by publishing an annual report on casualties from U.S. drone strikes. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, praised the announcement and said Congress should pass legislation to make sure the policy lasts beyond the Obama administration. "A public, annual report on the number of combatants and noncombatants killed will provide an important measure of transparency regarding targeted, lethal strikes," Schiff said. "Despite our best efforts to ensure to a near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured, sometimes strikes do result in civilian casualties - and it is important that we acknowledge those accidents and learn from them." [1] The ACLU has also called for reforms to be enacted before the next President takes office: "as this election season has underscored, powers this far-reaching should not rest solely on the character of the president and his advisers. In a democracy, the ability to use lethal force must be subject to clear and narrow limits, and the public must be able to evaluate whether those limits are being respected." [2] Urge Congress to enact the President's promised transparency reforms of the drone strike program into law by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/policy/defense/272049-white-house-to-disclose-casualty-figures-for-us-drone-strikes 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/opinion/limit-the-next-presidents-power-to-wage-drone-warfare.html

It is a food service industry norm that employees (fast food, restaurants, or cafeterias) receive a daily meal for each shift worked. For many years now UCSD Health Nutrition Services Employees have been denied a daily meal allowance (which is $5/day) in the CX Unit (cashiers, call center and other department administrative employees). Other UC food services workers receive a daily food allowance for each shift worked. UC wanted to trade this daily allowance for a reduction in the hourly wage for UC CX unit represented workers many years ago. Teamsters Local 2010 members (cashiers and other food services administrative employees) want fairness with their coworker that receive the daily meal allowance. It is time to give back the daily meal allowance to all Teamster represented employees in Nutrition Services so they can also enjoy the products delivered or produced by their Teamsters sisters and brothers. Patty Maysent (UCSD Health CEO), As a UC employee, patient, student, volunteer, or supporter I stand with the UC Health Cashiers (all CX Unit employees) and demand that they receive the daily $5 meal allowance today.

In the United States alone, approximately 50 billion animals including fish and other sea animals are killed annually to be eaten (approximately 100,000 every minute). Animals who are killed for their flesh endure intense psychological and physical trauma, and undercover investigations have found that they are routinely eviscerated while still conscious. Over 75% of Americans believe animals should be protected from "all suffering and harm." One in 3 believes animals should have "the same rights as people." It's time for progressive politicians to live up to their reputation for justice and stop the most violent industry on the planet!