This project is complete!

This project has been completed thanks to the efforts of our volunteers.

Visit the Project Directory to check out other projects that still need your help!

completed
Rise Up, Inc

Legislative Session Research

This research will help to inform steps Rise will take to mitigate the consequences of state legislatures suspending or postponing sessions due to COVID-19

Posted March 31, 2020

In these unprecedented times, the most important thing we can do as a society is protect the health of our citizens and slow the spread of the pandemic. Unfortunately, stay at home orders, social distancing, and self quarantining only go to increase the risk of sexual assault, especially and disproportionately for women. While Rise continues to work with members at the state level and is fully supportive of measures taken by legislatures to slow the spread of the virus, sexual assault isn't going away and survivors still do not have access to rights. As of today, bills in seven states are stalled and assumed to be dead for the session because of these measures. As such, we are interested in exploring any options we might have to encourage passage of Sexual Assault Survivors' Bills of Rights in these states and to protect survivors across the country during this uncertain time. We are asking We the Action volunteers to research and assess answers to a series of questions we have a) in these seven states and b) at a national and/or federal level.

Project Plan

Preparation Phase

  • Intro call to discuss project with volunteers
  • Share list of questions and jurisdictions with volunteers

Collaboration Phase

  • Compile research, share findings
  • Decide on final product format
  • Review draft products

Wrap Up

  • Submit final documents

This project is complete!

This project has been completed thanks to the efforts of our volunteers.

Visit the Project Directory to check out other projects that still need your help!

Additional Information

  • Time Commitment: 6-10 hours
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Additional Training Details: We do not anticipate this to be an exercise that requires much training. Any volunteers for the project will be given the opportunity to discuss the project and ask any questions they might have.
  • Site-Preference: Remote
  • Open to Law Students: No
  • Additional Location Details: Only requirements are access to a phone and computer with internet access.
  • Bar License(s) required: Any Bar License
  • Required Languages: None
  • Required Legal Expertise: None
  • Deliverables Due: April 30, 2020
  • Mentoring Provided: No
  • Supervision Provided: Yes
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.

Others have also checked out