the wins and losses are already in the rearview mirror for lawmakers who are being confronted by more than two dozen Progressive groups from around the state over a number of bills and other priorities they want to see legislators get to work on right away senior correspondent Joanna Gagis has that story today we have about 28 organizations and nearly a hundred volunteers across the state who are going to be hand delivering our people's lame duck agenda to every single leg lative office in a rare display of such coordinated solidarity nearly 30 social justice groups gathered for a virtual event today to call out Trenton lawmakers most of whom just won reelection last night for letting about 20 bills stall that they say would have tremendous impact on new jerseyans in particular working class families and black and brown communities it's time to get back to Trenton and keep on working on behalf of the people of New Jersey there are just too many bills which would make our democracy stronger and that prioritize racial and social justice that have really just languished for the better part of two years there are close to 20 bills that the group says were written but then never given a hearing or never pushed all the way through on issues like police reforms introduce in advance a senate version of assembly bill 5326 which would establish Community Le First Response pilot programs as an alternative to police response for mental health substance use and Behavioral Health calls also we're at urging the legislature to to codify the attorney general's use of force directive that directive came from New Jersey's previous attorney general grair greywall if codified it was significantly strengthen protections against police use of force for people in the state Beyond any Administration other bills focus on issues like jury service for the formerly incarcerated currently almost a quarter of New Jersey's black population is barred from serving on a jury a 977 s343 the jury service bill would ensure that individuals who have served their time and regained their freedom have the opportunity to serve on a jury the right to a jury of one's peers is at the core of our justice system and democracy and increasing voter rights and access several reports coming out yesterday about voters who missed the registration deadline uh which is 21 days before the election for one reason or another and they were essentially disenfranchised and forced to sit out you know be on the sidelines of our democracy it doesn't need to be that way especially when we have all the tools that we need to implement same day voter registration yet other bills would address what Advocates say are discriminatory housing appraisal practices that happen in the state discriminatory home appraisals limit the ability of new jerseyans of color particularly black residents to build intergenerational wealth through home ownership A1 1519 s777 the appraisals Bill seeks to rectify this by protecting against appraisal discrimination and numerous calls to action for increased immigrant protections Outsider influence at the Valex box today's State action demonstrates the growing organizing proudness of immigrants who are fighting for racial social and economic Justice our communities stand ready to demand increase language access visibility through data disaggregation and protection from deportation with the values act and calls for tax changes including making the corporate business tax surcharge permanent to fund NJ Transit new JY working FES and our partners we have been fighting to make sure that we do not give away $1 billion to the most profitable corporations at the expense of working families and last night New Jersey was clear instead of our legislature legislature looking over our shoulder we should look forward with a transformational vision for our state they say the time to act is now in this lame duck session to finally push these bills over the Finish Line like their legislators promised I'm Joanna Gagis NJ Spotlight News NJ Spotlight News