Ways to Stay Engaged While You Stay Home: December 9 Edition

KENNEDY FREEMAN Network Advancement Associate 

During these unprecedented times, ACS continues to provide a virtual forum for our network to engage and work toward a Constitution that is truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Here are some ways to help you stay engaged while in-person events are canceled. Do you have ideas we should include in future editions? Let us know by emailing info@acslaw.org! 

Volunteer to help with the Georgia Runoff Elections

Our democracy depends on all eligible citizens having a meaningful opportunity to vote. We need your help to ensure that our elections continue to be fair and accessible in Georgia, which will have runoff elections in December and January. There are a variety of non-partisan ways to help remotely. If you are interested in volunteering, check out some available opportunities here.

Send Postcards to Georgia Voters

Join The Civics Center’s postcard campaign to help make sure young Georgia voters know their options, make a plan to vote, and get their friends to do the same. When you send hand-written postcards, you send a vivid reminder that makes a real difference in promoting youth participation in our democracy. With these nonpartisan cards, you can help young voters request an absentee ballot and learn about options for early voting, which is already underway. To get involved, sign-up here by Thursday, December 17.

COVID-19 Compassionate Release Pro Bono

The Compassionate Release Clearing House is seeking pro bono attorneys to be matched with qualified individuals in federal prisons who are applying for compassionate release. The COVID-19 pandemic has made release for those who qualify all the more urgent, and the Clearing House has received over 400 requests for legal aid. Visit their website to sign up and email LCEmails@acslaw.org to let us know if you volunteer.

Notice & Comment Opportunities

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking comment on a proposed rule called “Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely” (SUNSET), under which most HHS regulations would automatically expire unless HHS staff individually determines that the regulations should continue, be amended, or rescinded. Specifically, the proposed rule provides that HHS regulations will automatically expire at the later of two years after the SUNSET proposal takes effect, ten years after the regulation was originally promulgated, or ten years after HHS reviews the regulation. Comments on the portion of the proposed rule amending 42 CFR parts 400-429 and parts 475-499 are due January 4, 2021 and may be submitted here: http://www.regulations.gov.

Learn more about these opportunities on the ACS Notice and Comment Page. Check out our Notice and Comment Webinar and email LCEmails@acslaw.org with any questions.