Rise Up, Inc
State Legislative Project
Ensuring our sexual assault survivors' rights legal research in each state is up to date
Posted May 11, 2022
Background & Context
Rise uses model legislation to form the framework for each iteration of the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights in states across the country. Bill authors use our model bill as the basis for each bill, adding and omitting content based on their own ideas, preferences, and the political and social landscape of their states. They will also only include rights that do not already exist as current law in the state. As such, the final result of our drafted bills all look and read differently, while still accomplishing the intent of the model legislation.
Before we draft those bills though, we must determine which rights that are included in the model bill are already law in the state and which rights need to be included in the ultimate legislation we introduce. Potential sponsors want to know that we're not duplicating or creating conflict among existing laws and definitions.
That's where you come in. We are looking for a thorough review of the existing laws in each of our 2022 campaign states to identify which of our rights need to be included in 2022 legislation.
Note: if interested, volunteers may choose to remain involved in their state's campaign. Previously our We the Action volunteers have drafted state specific legislation, memos to legislative and governors' offices, helped Rise staff and volunteers prep for pitch meetings, joined Rise staff and volunteers in pitch meetings, and consulted on strategy. While completely up to you the volunteer, we love to include our legal volunteers in as much of our work as they are interested in.
Immediate Problem
We need you to provide a legislative landscape, comparing our model bill to current state code. This document should be broken up into 3-4 sections: What rights from our model bill currently exist; what rights partially exist; what rights do not exist at all; and what if any unique rights exist in the state.
Work & Deliverables
Compare our model legislation to the rights that currently exist in the state for survivors of sexual assault. Then provide an account of what rights currently exist and which of the rights included in our model legislation are missing partially or in full.
Preparation Phase
- Intro call with Rise staff to cover project details, materials, and expectation
Collaboration Phase
- Volunteers complete research and submit finished materials
Wrap Up
- Rise staff will review finished research and ask relevant questions. Close out call optional.
Rise Up, Inc
Rise, a national nonprofit, was founded by Amanda Nguyen, a sexual assault survivor, in November 2014 to pen her own civil rights into existence along with the 25 million rape survivors in the United States. Rise started by passing the federal Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights unanimously through Congress and later signed into law by President Obama. Rise’s immediate goal is to scale up a social movement to pass their Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights - in all 50 states. Rise trains volunteers to pen their own rights into existence, giving them the tools and resources necessary to engage with state legislators with the ultimate goal of passing a bill in their home state.
Rise Up, Inc
Rise, a national nonprofit, was founded by Amanda Nguyen, a sexual assault survivor, in November 2014 to pen her own civil rights into existence along with the 25 million rape survivors in the United States. Rise started by passing the federal Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights unanimously through Congress and later signed into law by President Obama. Rise’s immediate goal is to scale up a social movement to pass their Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights - in all 50 states. Rise trains volunteers to pen their own rights into existence, giving them the tools and resources necessary to engage with state legislators with the ultimate goal of passing a bill in their home state.