2024 LAMA policy priorities.
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona’s (LAMA) legislative priorities for 2024 are below:
Each year, the LAMA Policy Council meets to discern what will be LAMA’s policy priorities for the coming year. The committee weighs political and social issues from a faith perspective, bearing in mind LAMA’s mission to “join with the most vulnerable of our society to voice our common needs in the public square, activating our faith in love.”
Food Insecurity
as it relates to hunger and the root causes of hunger. The ELCA social teachings on hunger and poverty include “Economic Life” and “Homelessness.” The first tells us, “outrage over the plight of people living in poverty is a theme throughout the Bible. The poor are those who live precariously between subsistence and utter deprivation. It is not poor people them selves who are the problem, but their lack of access to the basic necessities of life. Without such, they cannot maintain their human dignity.”
As we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are committed to advocating for policies that helps Arizonans struggling with food insecurity.
Civic Engagement
as it relates to the ELCA being a “publicly engaged church” and the ELCA social teachings on educating, advocating, and engaging in our political process, including “Government and Civic Engagement,” “Church in Society,” and the ELCAvotes initiatives Called to Be a Public Church, Voting Rights and Racial Justice, Movement into Action.
As Lutherans, we are called to faithfully steward our society, that it might be one of justice and equity. In our country, that means assuring that all people have fair access to the democratic process, ensuring that the government works for the dignity of all people.
Through the 2024 Election Cycle, we are committed to advocating for policies that ensure accessible, secure elections. We are also committed to engaging our community in the civic process and increasing voter participation and education.
Water
Acknowledging that Arizona’s water resources are in peril due to drought and other factors, and that lack of access to safe water is one of the biggest challenges to overcoming poverty. ELCA social teachings include “Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope & Justice” and “Earth’s Climate Crisis.” As we are told in Genesis 1:26, we are meant to live with creation, caring for it intentionally. “Earth’s Climate Crisis” urges us to follow this ancient commandment: “It is in hope of God’s promised fulfillment that we hear the call to justice; it is in hope that we take action. When we act interdependently and in solidarity with creation, we do justice. We serve and keep the earth, trusting its bounty can be sufficient for all, and sustainable.”
For the good of our neighbors and Creation, we are committed to advocating for policies that protect our water from contaminants and overuse, including policies and programs that make it easier for individuals and industries conserve water. We also support the work of advocates from the Navajo Nation, as they work to secure access to safe, clean water through an equitable settlement with the state of Arizona.
+ Affordable Housing
as it relates to homelessness, poverty, and cost of living. In addition to our three policy priorities, LAMA is partnering with Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest to advocate for policies which aim to mitigate the housing crisis in Arizona. This includes everything from supporting cities as they build emergency shelters, to legislation that alleviates the escalating cost of living and inflation in housing costs.
LAMA will monitor all legislation, especially those bills that relate to LAMA’s legislative priorities noted above, and together with friends and partners who share similar priorities, LAMA will work to help shape positive legislation this year. When there is legislative activity of interest to the LAMA community that needs support, LAMA will send Action Alerts.