State Public Affairs Committees (SPAC)

A history of advocacy and awareness

PACs (Public Affairs Committees), SPACs (State Public Affairs Committees) and LICs (Legislative Issues Committees) are individual, apolitical Junior Leagues or coalitions of Junior Leagues within a state that form to educate and take action on public policy issues relevant to The Junior League Mission. Having begun to take shape in the 1930s, they are collectively governed by their member Leagues and the methods by which they operate vary by state, as do the issues chosen for study and action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a State Public Affairs Committee (or a Public Affairs Committee or a Legislative Issues Committee)?

A. Despite its seemingly generic label, a State Public Affairs Committee (SPAC), a Public Affairs Committee (PAC), or a Legislative Issues Committee (LIC), is an invention of The Junior League that has been around since the 1930s. SPACs, PACs, and LICs were developed in order to influence public policy on specific issues within a particular geographic area, such as a state, a county, or a city.

Q. What do they do?

A. SPACs, PACs, and LICs identify the issues that resonate with their members and that are relevant to The Junior League Mission, and develop strategies for tackling them. This advocacy takes many forms—it can be as straightforward as building awareness and educating the public about a pressing problem, or as ambitious as sponsoring and writing a bill that ultimately becomes a law.

Q. Who's in charge?

A. SPACs, PACs, and LICs are governed by their member Leagues and exist as separate entities from the Junior Leagues with which they are affiliated, though they are comprised of Junior League members.

Junior League SPAC Profiles 2021

California SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Education, family support, health, anti-human trafficking, and violence prevention

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.:
    • Education: AB516 Pupil attendance: excused absences: cultural ceremonies or events
    • Health: SB428 Health care coverage: adverse childhood experiences screenings.
    • Family Support:
      • AB413 Foster youth: housing.
      • AB277 Domestic violence: victims: address confidentiality.
      • AB307 Crimes: invasion of privacy.
    • Anti-Human Trafficking:
      • AB262 Human Trafficking: Vacatur (set aside) relief for victims: fines
      • AB560 Human Trafficking
      • SB750 Human Trafficking: California ACTS Task Force

  • Highlighted Members:
    • Past CalSPAC Co-Chair, Julie Elginer, spearheaded ACR 105 and the experience proved pivotal in her doctoral dissertation and in her role as an Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management at UCLA.
    • Past CalSPAC Co-Chair, Joy Burkhard, drafted ACR 53 and ACR 148, founded the California Maternal Mental Health Collaborative, hosts a national coalition and is starting a state-wide commission.
    • Junior League of Los Angeles Members, September Hill and Tasha Koumaris, helped create the "Speak Up When You're Down" awareness campaign.
    • Junior League of San Francisco Advocacy Member, Audrey Symes, was instrumental in the development of a national social media campaign.
    • 2014-2015 CalSPAC Co-Chair, Caroline Bruister, was Nava's staffer then decided to join Junior League of Santa Barbara/Junior League of San Francisco due to her experience with CalSPAC's work.
    • Past CalSPAC Co-Chair, September Hill, was inspired by CalSPAC's work as an assistant and has since held every leadership placement within the Public Policy Council, including Director and CalSPAC Co-Chair.

  • Past Highlights:
    • Since 1992, CalSPAC has sponsored or co-sponsored 11 pieces of legislation that have become law. View the complete list HERE.

  • Additional Info: This year (2021), CalSPAC celebrates its 50th Anniversary! CalSPAC represents a coalition of 17 Junior Leagues of California with over 7,000 women statewide.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Lena Ross, Junior League of Orange County, CA, Vice-Chair, California SPAC

Florida SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Improving maternal health or assisting human trafficking victims. Repeal the sales tax on diapers in the state of Florida.

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.: Currently, Florida SPAC is in between legislative Sessions and will be starting with Committee Weeks in September. Sessions will restart in January for 2022.

  • Highlighted Members:
    • Chair, Kate Watt, is a leader of the Komen breast cancer organization in Florida.
    • Erin Collins, a former SPAC Chair who is on the current Board, runs a human trafficking organization in the state.
    • Alexis Fowler is an agency attorney who played a key role in the legislative redistricting process during the last census cycle.

  • Past Highlights:
    • Helped pass legislation to extend foster care to age 21 from the age of 18.
    • Supported other bills relating to helping homeless and unaccompanied youth in the state receive services including medical care.
    • Recently supported legislation which repealed the "pink tax" which repeals the sales tax on feminine hygiene products.
    • Wrote a legislative newsletter that was distributed across the state of Florida.

  • Additional Info: Training events on the basics of the legislative process have inspired many individuals to get more involved in the public policy of their community and led some to run for office.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Kate Watt, Junior League of the Palm Beaches, FL, Chair, Florida SPAC

Georgia SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Redistricting, period equity.


  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.: Removing the sales tax on menstrual products, keeping and increasing the budget items for menstrual products provided by the state to schools (currently working on refining wording to be in line with several other states who have successfully done this).

  • Highlighted Members:
    • Adele Stewart from the Junior League of Atlanta worked with GA STOMP and has gone above and beyond in bringing their important information to Georgia SPAC and its 13 member Leagues. Adele creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone to learn and share in a subject that is historically very embarrassing and shame-filled.

  • Past Highlights:
    • Created an awareness campaign for a bill to close a loophole in domestic violence TPO (temporary protective order) language that excluded non-married and non-habitating partners. Created a one-sheet for/against a list of bills to distribute during our Capitol Day each session.

  • Additional Info: We have worked very hard over the last 5 years to create a cohesive group of women who are passionate about advocacy and interested in inspiring that passion in others. We meet 3 times a year and run coordinated campaigns through the legislative session.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Beth Daniell, Junior League of DeKalb County, GA, Chair, Georgia SPAC

Michigan SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Sexual Intimate Partner Violence, Opportunities for Foster Children

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.: Currently pushing for budget dollars for the roll out of the Address Confidentiality Program. Advocated for three sessions before the ACP was enacted.

  • Highlighted Members:

  • Past Highlights:
    • Past focus around human trafficking, foster care and sexual intimate partner violence

  • Additional Info: Encourage member leagues to partner with their local government bodies allowing for an open line of communication as to how Junior Leagues can impact their local communities.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Amanda Miscisin, Junior League of Grand Rapids, MI, Past Chair, Michigan SPAC

New Jersey SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Black Maternal and Infant Health Care Crisis, Lead in Drinking Water, Emergency Medical Services for Children.

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.:
    • A5343/S3398 - inventory and replacement of NJ's lead service lines
    • A1079/S703 - implicit bias training for medical professionals

  • Highlighted Members:
    • Trente Miller for the outstanding contribution of her research and organizational skills.

  • Past Highlights:

  • Additional Info: Recently hosted an incredible program on The Black Maternal and Infant Healthcare Crisis with Lt. Governor Shelia Oliver as their keynote speaker.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Dell Wallace, Junior League Greater Princeton, NJ, Chair, New Jersey SPAC

New York SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Homelessness, Human Trafficking, DV, Sexual Assault Victims' Rights, Teen Dating Violence, Gender Pay Gap.

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.:
    • Adult Survivor Act, stalled in Judiciary committee of NYS assembly
    • Homeless Children and Youth Act, reintroduced in Congress
    • Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
    • Teen Dating Violence Curriculum, in negotiation
    • Salary Range Bill, in committee
    • Emergency Family Stabilization Act, in committee

  • Highlighted Members:
    • Hardworking Board of Directors, Katelyn Galbraith, Tabetha Wilson, Romina Levy, Jessica Pease, and Aileen Dose, work in collaboration to manage NYSPAC's legislative agenda and training.

  • Past Highlights:

  • Additional Info: Successfully passed legislation in every session for the last 7 years. Proud to make a difference in the fight for criminal justice reform, closing the gender pay gap, ending human trafficking and domestic violence, and seeking justice for survivors of sexual assault.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Katelyn Galbraith, Junior League of Schenectady & Saratoga Counties, NY, Chair, New York SPAC

Ohio SPAC

  • Current Issue Focus(es): Diaper and Feminine Care needs/Pink Tax. Will be working on Child Abuse prevention in next League year.

  • Current Bills, Initiatives, etc.:
    • Senate Bill (SB) 26 which includes a provision sponsored to eliminate Ohio sales taxes on feminine hygiene products, commonly known as the Pink Tax, was signed by Governor DeWine into law in 2019.

  • Highlighted Members:

  • Past Highlights:
    • Hosted an Advocacy Day at the Statehouse with Members from several Ohio leagues in 2018 with Rep. Brigid Kelly and are hoping to plan another event in the future.

  • Website

  • Social Media:

Download or watch this brief Q&A with Emily Thobe, Junior League of Cincinnati, OH, Senior Delegate, Ohio SPAC