Legislative Action Alert
Anti-Immigration Bill Moves Forward
Last Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee amended HB 125 and took out all of the anti-immigrant provisions. We applaud the members of the Senate Committee for addressing our concerns and for passing a sensible bill that will fix the administrative burdens created by HB 87.
On Thursday, however, the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee amended SB 160 and added in all of the anti-immigrant provisions that the Senate committee had removed from HB 125. Yesterday, the House passed SB 160 with the anti-immigrant provisions.
The Senate has shown leadership on this issue, whereas the House has been relentless in its pursuit of an anti-immigrant agenda. Therefore, the two chambers are at a standoff and we need to reach out to leadership and tell them to ask legislators to pass a clean bill.
Your calls are needed now more than ever. Call leadership today, and each day until this issue is resolved:
Governor Nathan Deal: (404) 656-1776
Lt. Governor Casey Cagle: (404) 656-5030
House Speaker David Ralston: (404) 656-5020
The message is: "Two bills that started out as a good fix for a problem in the Secretary of State office are now being hijacked with attempts to replay the divisive immigration debate. Please support ONLY the original versions of HB 125 and SB 160. Let's not divide Georgia again by debating anti-immigrant proposals."
Also, please call your Senator and encourage him or her to remain opposed to the anti-immigrant provisions contained in the House proposal. You can find your State Senator at http://votesmart.org.
Your calls have been very helpful thus far and we appreciate your perseverance. Let's not give up until the battle is won!
Thanks,
Chad Brock
Staff Attorney/Legislative Counsel
Azadeh Shahshahani
National Security/Immigrants' Rights Project Director
Last Minute Attack on Women's Health
Yesterday, the Georgia Senate added an amendment to HB 246 which will deny women reproductive health coverage through the state insurance plan. HB 246 was an uncontroversial bill that would have given the Georgia World Congress Center the ability to extend employee benefits to its employees. It passed the House with near unanimous, bipartisan support.
However, anti-choice Senators hijacked this bill and added language that will deny reproductive health services to all women enrolled in the state health insurance plan. The bill passed the Senate and is now being reconsidered by the House.
At the beginning of the session, House Speaker David Ralston told a reporter that the House was going to reduce legislation that unnecessarily angers women (see http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-11-10/story/new-reality-white-guys-ga-republican-party).
Please call Speaker Ralston and tell him to stand by his pledge by removing the Senate amendment to HB 246. Also, call your State Representative and tell him or her to support the removal of the Senate amendment to HB 246.
You can reach House Speaker David Ralston at (404) 656-5020, and you can find your State Representative by visiting http://votesmart.org.
This is the last week of the legislative session and this bill can be voted on at any time. Your call is very important so please take immediate action!
Thanks,
Chad Brock
Staff Attorney/Legislative Counsel