Ways to Stay Engaged While You Stay Home: December 3 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.

Stop Online Voting Disinformation

Our coalition partner, Common Cause, needs help more than ever to stop disinformation surrounding the Election. Despite the networks finally calling the race, Common Cause has noticed more disinformation online in the last few days than at any other time this cycle. If you are interested in monitoring social media, please sign-up here. You can also directly report disinformation you see on social media to the coalition team here. How we address disinformation now could have a long-term impact on the next four years.

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.

Volunteer Remotely to Help those in Immigration Detention

The Immigration Justice Campaign is looking for volunteers to provide pro bono assistance to individuals in detention. Volunteer to provide fully remote legal or interpretation services on many different kinds of cases, from bond hearings to asylum hearings to appeals. Let us know at LCEmails@acslaw.org if you have any questions or want to get involved.

Notice & Comment Opportunities

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking comment by December 4 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 may be submitted here: http://www.regulations.gov by December 4, 2020, except that electronic or written comments on the portion of the proposed rule amending 42 CFR parts 400-429 and parts 475-499 are due January 4, 2021.

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.