IMMIGRATION BATTLE:  Next Step

It’s almost over!  Two more days (today and tomorrow) and we can rest!  We need to push one more time so that we won’t have to play “Sisyphus” and push that boulder up the hill only to have it roll down once again just before it reaches the top.  

THANKS to all who made calls/sent emails to legislators and then turned around and contacted them again and again on the immigration bill!  It’s crucial to keep the heat on since Sen. Scott Beason’s sub will be introduced on Wednesday morning, May 16. This is our last chance!

Your contacts convinced Sen. Scott Beason to remove language in his HB 658 substitute that weakened E-Verify as well as penalties against employers who were convicted of hiring illegal aliens.  This has upset the sponsor of HB 658 and there is now a deep divide between HB 658 and Scott’s sub. Click the articles below to read how upset House leaders and BCA are with Sen. Beason:

Montgomery Advertiser: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012305100040

al.com: http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/05/senate_delays_immigration_acti.html

Please contact your Senators and Representatives, and copy Rep. Micky Hammon and Speaker Hubbard, and let them know that the only version that should pass is Sen. Beason’s substitute with no changes to E-Verify and employer penalties.  (Sen. Beason restored the original wording in HB 56.)

This is the most important point to make in your messages.  If you wish to go farther, suggestions include:

• We oppose HB 658 as passed by the House.  The House did not “tweak” HB 56 but weakened it, making it ineffective and unenforceable.
• Sen. Beason’s sub is acceptable as long as it does not change our current law’s E-Verify and employer penalties provisions.
• We did not elect a supermajority Republican legislature to replace AEA with BCA.

Contact information:

Your Senator/Representative (or all, if you’re up to it!) with copies to:

Speaker Mike Hubbard:  (334) 242-7668; mike.hubbard@alhouse.gov

Majority Leader Micky Hammon:  (334) 242-7709; info@mocold.com

 
The below tidbit shows the importance of your contacts:

The House GOP Caucus held a fundraiser Tuesday evening (May 8) with a crowd that included a who’s who of Montgomery power players and the 65 members of the House GOP Caucus. The Caucus raised almost $200k during the hour-long event.  http://www.yellowhammerpolitics.com

Undoubtedly this fundraiser in the midst of the legislative session gave an opportunity for lobbyists to discuss the immigration bill with our legislators. 

Enormous thanks for your courage and steadfastness to stand up to the special interests!  We had a similar situation with E-Verify last year and we finally prevailed.  We can on Wednesday, as well, if our legislators understand what’s at stake.

(Above information received from Elois Zeanah, Alabama Federation of Republican Women, who has led efforts and worked closely with SGP as well as other conservative groups across the state on this issue during this legislative session.)