Montgomery County Commission for Women’s
44
th Annual
Women’s Legislative Briefing
The Women’s Legislative Briefing (WLB) is the premier and longest-standing women’s legislative event in the state of Maryland. It is coordinated by the Montgomery County Commission for Women and brings together advocates, policymakers, and emerging leaders to empower, engage, and mobilize Marylanders around issues affecting women and girls throughout the state.
WLB 2024 Overview
- This is the 44 th anniversary of the Women’s Legislative Briefing
- 2024 WLB Theme: From Proposal to Passage: Collaborating for Equality and Justice
- Date: January 28, 2024
- Location: The Universities at Shady Grove
- Time: 12:30-5:00pm
- Childcare will be available children ages 2-10 years old*
- Complimentary parking
- Sponsorship information
- Tickets
*Childcare space is limited and will be available on a first come first serve basis. Please arrive early to secure a spot.
Schedule
- 11:30-12:30 pm: Registration and Resource Fair
- 12:30-1:00 pm: Opening Session
- 1:00-1:55 pm: Keynote Speaker
- 2:00-2:30 pm: Break 1
- 2:30-3:30 pm: Breakout Session 1
- 3:30-4:00 pm: Break 2
- 4:00-5:00 pm: Breakout Session 2
Emerging Leaders
The Emerging Leaders sessions will run concurrently with the adult sessions.
The Emerging Leaders track will run concurrently with the Women’s Legislative Briefing and is open to students in grades 6-12. Tickets are $10 for all students. Students may earn up to 3 student service learning hours.
WLB Resources
History and Purpose:
The Montgomery County Commission for Women organized the first Women’s Legislative Briefing in January 1980, co-sponsored by 12 community and women’s organizations. Except for 1982, the briefing has been presented annually. The number of co-sponsoring organizations has grown dramatically with over 65 co-sponsors. The number of participants has also increased significantly, more than tripling from approximately 200 in 1981 to more than 750 in 2019. The WLB was held virtually in 2020 for the first time in accordance with CDC guidelines due to the Pandemic.
The purpose of the briefing is to provide information on legislative issues of concern to women and families, including bills that will be introduced in the upcoming sessions of the Maryland General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Local and state officials are invited to attend the briefing.
To emphasize the role of women as key to policymakers, keynote speakers in the past have included:
Rosie Rios, 43rd Treasurer of the United States
Joanne Bamberger, Author, How Women & Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America
Dr. Bernice Sandler, Author of Title IX legislation
Sara Manzano-Diaz, Director, Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
Lilly Ledbetter, Pay Equity Advocate
Dorothy Height, Founder and President Emeritus, National Council of Negro Women
Donna Brazile, Founder and Managing Director, Brazile and Associates, LLC
Eleanor Smeal, Founder and President, The Feminist Majority and Past National President of NOW
Karen Nussbaum, Director, Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
Shinae Chun, Director, Women's Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor
The Honorable Donna Edwards, U.S. House of Representatives
Irene Natividad, President, Global Summit for Women
Susan Wood, Ph.D., Former Assistant Commissioner for Women’s Health, U.S. FDA
Cokie Roberts, Senior News Analyst, National Public Radio, Political Commentator, ABC-News
Dr. Jane Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Business & Professional Women, USA
Ellen Malcolm, President of EMILY’s List
Lynne Battaglia, U.S. Attorney for District of Maryland
Patricia Blau Reuss, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund
Anita Perez Ferguson, President, National Women’s Political Caucus
Carmen Delgado Votaw, Washington Representative for Girl Scouts of the USA
The Honorable Constance Morella, U.S. House of Representatives
M
ónica Ramirez, Founder, Justice for Migrant Women
What is the Montgomery County Commission for Women?
The Montgomery County Commission for Women (CFW), formed in 1972 through county law, is charged with the responsibility of advising the public, the County Executive, the County Council, and county agencies, state and federal government on issues of concern to women. The CFW consists of a 15-member board of commissioners appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. Commissioners serve three-year terms without compensation.
The mission of the Commission for Women is to advance women’s equal and full participation in the benefits, responsibilities, and opportunities of society, and to enable women to participate as equals in the community through the acquisition of skills and competencies, information and resources. The Commission’s primary responsibility is to identify inequities in laws, policies, practices and procedures, and to recommend and promote remedies.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsorships are due December 15, 2023.
Please email Carmen Kaarid at Carmen.Kaarid@montgomerycountymd.gov with questions regarding sponsorships.
About the Women's Legislative Briefing (WLB or Briefing):The WLB is the premier and longest-standing women's legislative event in the state of Maryland. It is an annual event and regularly features nationally recognized speakers and prominent legislators, policymakers, and activists from the country's most preeminent national women's organizations.
The purpose of the WLB is to inform Maryland residents about legislative proposals that are before the Maryland General Assembly and the U.S. Congress that address issues of specific concern to women. Briefings traditionally cover topics such as:
- health issues including, health care reform;
- older women's issues including, eldercare, pension, and Social Security reform;
- labor issues including flexible work hours, paid leave, pregnancy fairness, fair pay, and custody;
- immigrant women's concerns;
- women and poverty;
- trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and family law;
- effective advocacy; and
- successful strategies for increasing the number of women in elected and appointed offices.
The program also includes civic leadership seminars for students in grades 6-12.
The Briefing, led by the Montgomery County Commission for Women, is co-sponsored by more than 70 women's and community organizations each year and is attended by more than 700 individuals. Co-sponsoring community organizations are required to be either non-profit or public agencies. In addition to being a sponsor, these organizations share many volunteer hours in the planning and execution of the program. Their representatives meet monthly as a planning committee to decide the content and format of the program. The planning committee makes recommendations regarding the session topics, panelists, speakers, and logistics, with the final decisions being made by the Montgomery County Commission for Women.
As with our previous events, the 2023 WLB will begin with an opening plenary session to include welcoming remarks from various county executives and other elected officials. The program consists of sessions on topics of concern to women.
This important event is made possible each year by generous financial support from its corporate and non-profit sponsors, Friends of the WLB, and community co-sponsors.
There are several levels of sponsorship available, which are outlined on the following pages. We welcome the opportunity to have your organization partner with us to make the 2023 Women's Legislative Briefing the best!
2024 Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities
Platinum Sponsorship: $10,000
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Company video (up to 2min) shared during the opening plenary session (video to be provided by sponsor).
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 10 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 4 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event.
Diamond Sponsorship: $7,000
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Company video (up to 90 seconds) shared during the opening plenary session (video to be provided by sponsor)
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference
- Complimentary attendance for 8 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 3 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event
Emerald Sponsorship: $5,000
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Company video (up to 1 minute) shared during the opening plenary session (video to be provided by sponsor)
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference
- Complimentary attendance for 7 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event
Topaz Sponsorship: $2,500
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Company video (up to 30 seconds) shared during the opening plenary session (video to be provided by sponsor)
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference
- Complimentary attendance for 6 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event
Amethyst Sponsorship: $1,000
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 5 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 4 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table with prominent placement during the event.
Opal Sponsorship: $250
- Name and logo on all event publicity leading up to the event.
- Name and logo prominently featured at the beginning of the conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 3 members to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 of those members to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table during event.
2024 Community Co-Sponsorship Opportunities
Level 4 Community Co-Sponsor: $200
- Co-sponsoring organization's name included on all online event publicity.
- Opportunity for co-sponsor’s representative to participate on the WLB planning committee.
- Inclusion of co-sponsoring organization in the 2024 WLB Networking Directory.
- Complimentary attendance for 3 organization leaders or representatives to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 1 of the leaders to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table during the event
Level 3 Community Co-Sponsor and Friend of the WLB: $150
- Co-sponsoring organization's name included on all online event publicity.
- Opportunity for co-sponsor’s representative to participate on the WLB planning committee.
- Inclusion of Co-sponsoring organization in the 2024 WLB Networking Directory.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 organization leaders or representatives to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 1 of the leaders to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
- Complimentary exhibit table during the event.
Level 2 Community Co-Sponsor: $100
- Co-sponsoring organization's name included on all online event publicity.
- Opportunity for co-sponsor’s representative to participate on the WLB planning committee
- Inclusion of Co-sponsoring organization in the 2024 WLB Networking Directory.
- Complimentary attendance for 2 organization leaders or representatives to attend the WLB conference.
- Complimentary attendance for 1 of the leaders to attend the pre-conference Chair’s Networking Reception.
Level 1 Community Co-Sponsor: $50
- Opportunity for co-sponsor’s representative to participate on the WLB planning committee
- Inclusion of Co-sponsoring organization in the 2024 WLB Networking Directory.
- Complimentary attendance for 1 organization leader or representative to attend the WLB conference.
Chair’s Networking Reception
The Chair’s Networking Reception will be IN PERSON on January 28, 2024, from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.. The reception is by invitation only. Participants will receive information from the Commission for Women’s Chair.