#PrayingTogether #WorkingTogether #SaferTogether
Thank you to all for the swift responses last week to the call to action! Together we kept pace with the much anticipated movement on anti-immigrant bills. It was collective efforts of directly impacted, allies and champions, which resulted in the following tally as we go into legislative spring break:
HB1422 about a new and different drivers license for legal immigrants: Defeated on House floor (read from the Arkansas Advocate and Univision)
HB1789 prohibit municipal identifications to immigrants who can’t prove status, affecting the Little Rock and North Little Rock municipal identification programs: passed out of committee and House floor, but with our testimony the seed has been planted to grow the fight back (read from the Arkansas Times)
HB1745: passed out of committee and House floor, and has the potential to clarify and create opportunities for immigrant truck drivers while curbing the manipulation of cartels the sale of good visas. AU has been able to work with truck lobbyists for the first time around shared interests on this bill and issue.
The Governor’s bill SB426: Did not receive a vote last week after we spoke to bills sponsors and started a conversation about amendments prevent local and state law enforcement from becoming the face of immigration enforcement in Arkansas. (read more from KTBS, Univision and Telemundo)
With only a couple weeks left of legislative session, we anticipate the legislature will hit the ground running on March 31st to ensure that something about immigrants makes it to the Governor’s desk before the end of session. We have a short window but we still have time to influence this session! By this Wednesday, please consider filling out: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fu9Y1wjXE4nwDzSyoOWoX8_qcWdFkyylClaCZVo6Kl8/preview