Unitarian Universalist Legislative Advocacy Network

Advocacy

According to the mission statement of the Unitarian Universalists of Delaware Advocacy Network (UUDAN), the state branch of the national organization, the group aims to “educate, mobilize, and coordinate Unitarian Universalists around social justice issues in coalition with other state advocacy organizations.” ⁷ Membership is open to anyone in Delaware who identifies as UU, even if they aren’t members of a UU congregation. UUDAN runs outreach programs such as letter-writing campaigns, hosting speakers, creating pressure campaigns on legislators, and organizing congregational offerings to conduct their advocacy work. ⁸

The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland (UULM-MD) has organized UU congregations statewide around left-of-center legislative work by choosing annual priority issue areas and conducting advocacy through written and verbal testimonies, coalition work, action alerts, and rally participation. ⁹ In the 2025 legislative session, UULM-MD helped pass bills HB 930 and SB 848 which established a Public Health Abortion Grant Program in the state. ¹⁰ UULM-MD has also participated in multiple left-of-center environmental advocacy coalitions including the Climate Justice Wing of Maryland Legislative Coalition and Citizens Concerned for the Environment, while supporting legislation such as the Next Generation Energy Act. ¹¹

In New Jersey, UU FaithAction NJ (formerly the UU Legislative Ministry of New Jersey) has advanced left-of-center policy through education, coalition work, volunteer task forces, and legislative engagement. ¹² The organization has prioritized left-of-center issues including reparations, abortion access, gun control, and “decarceration”. UU FaithAction NJ advocacy includes action alerts, public testimony, outreach toolkits, statehouse visits, and legal assistance through their Legal Advocacy Project, which uses pro bono attorneys to file amicus briefs and support litigation aligned with left-of-center values. ¹³ The organization has advocated for illegal immigrants’ rights legislation and promoted the Rehabilitative Release Act, New Jersey’s premier “decarceration” legislation. ¹⁴

The New York State branch, New York Unitarian Universalist Justice (NYUUJ) has engaged in left-of-center policy campaigns towards climate change, housing, criminal justice, and physician-assisted suicide, among other issues. ¹⁵ The organization’s activities have included organizing rallies, letter writing, issue teams, virtual and in-person advocacy, and engaging congregants to lobby at the legislature. NYUUJ has supported left-of-center initiatives like NY Renews’ Climate, Jobs and Justice Package, which advocated for legislation such as the Home Energy Affordable Transition Act and the Climate Change Superfund Act. On housing, the organization has supported left-of-center policy like the Good Cause Eviction Housing Access Voucher Program, and the Tenant’s Opportunity to Purchase Act. NYUUJ has worked with left-of-center groups such as RAPP (Release Aging in Prison) which has advocated for releasing older violent and non-violent offenders from prison regardless of their sentencing or the crime they committed; and on physician-assisted suicide, the organization has partnered with Compassion & Choices to put pressure on lawmakers and fund ballot initiatives to legalize physician-assisted suicide at the state level. ¹⁶

In Ohio, Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio (UUJO) has served UU congregations statewide as a left-of-center advocacy network focused on issues of voting rights, the environment, racial justice, and rights for illegal immigrants. UUJO’s advocacy has included coordinating voter drives, issuing action alerts, lobbying on legislation, and supporting ballot initiatives. ¹⁷ While its website is defunct as of September 2025, UUJO remains active through partner congregations, social media, and local focus groups like First UU Columbus’ Democracy & Human Rights team, which have engaged on issues regarding redistricting, abortion rights, trans rights, and climate policy. ¹⁸

The Unitarian Universalist Legislative Advocacy Network of Pennsylvania (formerly UUPLAN, now UUJusticePA) is listed as a member of the Better Path Coalition, which is a left-of-center environmental activist organization formed to oppose natural gas fracking and other conventional energy industries in Pennsylvania. ^{19 20} UUJusticePA has worked to “educate, lobby, and mobilize” congregations across more than 40 UU churches in Pennsylvania on issues selected through its “Issue Teams.” These teams have focused on left-of-center policy including climate justice, abortion rights, gun control, criminal justice reform, LGBT policy reforms, and “good government” initiatives. ^{21 22} UUJusticePA has also partnered with other left-of-center coalitions to conduct action campaigns, organize district-office lobbying visits, and provide written and oral testimony before the legislature. ²³

In Virginia, while the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Virginia (UULMVA) once existed, ²⁴ individual Virginia UU congregations run left-of-center legislative programs as of September 2025. These congregations run local outreach programs such as organizing district lobbying and testimony, voter drives, and coalition work through their social justice or “legislative justice” teams. These congregations have also partnered with left-of-center organizations and coalitions to conduct advocacy, such as the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy and the Legislative Collaborative Table of Hampton Roads. ^{25 26} Other congregations across the Commonwealth maintain active social-justice teams focused on issues in voting, climate justice, racial justice, and abortion rights. ²⁷