| Dear ACLU of Georgia Supporter, |
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Thank you for participating in By the People Lobby Days. There are still
2 DAYS REMAINING IN THE 2010 SESSION OF THE
GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
It's not too late to contact your elected officials on the issues that are most important to you.
School to Prison Pipeline
SB 299 - Support zero tolerance reform with SB 299. It changes provisions relating to zero tolerance policy on weapons in schools. While this legislation is not designed to resolve all of the issues of zero tolerance, it does give courts an alternative to automatic sentencing for children under the circumstances outlined in the bill.
Please contact the members of the House Rules Committee and the Speaker of the House David Ralston and ask them to put SB 299 on the Rules Calendar for Tuesday, April 27, and bring this legislation to the floor for a vote.
Immigrants' Rights
SB 67 - This English-only Driver's License Test legislation would impact U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents who may not feel comfortable with a written driver's exam administered in English. By discriminating against those with limited English proficiency, this bill could be found in violation of the regulations issued pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In addition, the Georgia Department of Driver's Services already requires some level of English proficiency in order to issue a driver's license, as it offers the Road Sign Test only in English. All drivers must therefore have the ability to read and understand simple English such as used in highway traffic and directional signs.
This bill violates federal law and the Constitution and does nothing to improve public safety.
Please contact the Speaker of the House David Ralston and ask that he not bring SB 67 to the floor of the House for a vote. Please also contact your House Representative and ask that s/he vote against this legislation if it were to be scheduled for a vote on the House floor.
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