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Policy and a Pint: Sexual Harassment at the State Capitol

  • Station One 317 3rd Street West Sacramento, CA, 95605 United States (map)

Listen to our podcast of this discussion.

Or watch it onscreen - Capitol Weekly filmed this event as an episode of its "Politics on Tap" program on the California Channel

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Besides #MeToo, one of the best-known hashtags in California right now is #WeSaidEnough. 

That term was introduced in a bipartisan letter published last October in the Los Angeles Times, with signatures from more than 140 women working in California politics. It was the first open statement nationwide by women calling for an end to the pervasive culture of harassment and assault within the hallowed halls of government. Their actions highlighted the fact that, even in a state as progressive as California, the Capitol community can still be an "old boys' network" that doesn't always treat the women working within it with much respect.

#WeSaidEnough, which is now an nonprofit focused on changing the culture and establishing independent accountability, has added a strong voice to the national conversation about sexual harassment. In the past two months, four legislators have been called out, Senate President Kevin DeLeon has hired law firms to investigate alleged misconduct, and multiple hearings have been held in the Capitol to focus on sexual harassment policies.

So what happens next? What will come from these legal investigations and legislative hearings? Should we expect specific bills from the Assembly and the Senate on this issue, and will they have teeth? And how will the sexual harassment scandals in state government translate into policy that affects workplaces around California?

This is our first "Policy and a Pint" discussion of 2018 --the first of many events we're holding in what will definitely be an interesting Election Year.

PANELISTS
* Samantha Corbin, executive director of We Said Enough, the op-ed letter that turned into an equity-focused organization

* Assemblyperson Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who held hearings on this topic in her role as chair of the Assembly Rules Subcommittee on Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Prevention and Response

* Jodi Hicks, partner at the women-led government relations firm DBHK and one of the signers of the #WeSaidEnough letter

* Janine Yancey, an employment-law attorney and CEO of Emtrain, a HR and compliance training firm