CFC Alert! Help fight bad bills at the legislature!

Dear Friend,

Join us Thursday for an Education Lobby Day! Tell your legislators what you need to strengthen your community and your school and help us support the Arkansas Opportunity to Learn Campaign. Get the full agenda for the Education Legislative Lunch and Lobby Day.

Help us fight bad bills at the Legislature this week:  

OPPOSE HB 1008, the "anti-DREAM Act".

The "anti-DREAM Act" would require Arkansas students to be U.S. citizens or legal residents to receive in-state tuition at Arkansas colleges.  Find out more about why HB1008 is bad for Arkansas.

OPPOSE HB1292, which includes the "anti-DREAM Act" as well as force people to verify their citizenship or lawful presence with an affidavit to receive almost any state services.

This would hurt Arkansans, including citizen children who may have undocumented family. The Department of Human Services estimates that the cost of verifying citizenship will be up to $13 million a year, which is an expensive solution to a problem that has not even been proven to exist! HB1292 will be heard in the House State Agencies committee on Wednesday. Call your Representative or come to the committee meeting - tell them to vote NO on HB1292. Get more background information on HB1292.

OPPOSE the irresponsible capitol gains tax cut - HB1002.

This is a windfall for the rich. It does little to create jobs, and there’s no guarantee that the money would even be invested in Arkansas. If passed, it could rob as much as $68 million a ­year from the education, health and safety services upon which we all depend.

It is irresponsible to cut taxes without telling the public what state services will be cut to pay for it.  Will they cut k-12 education spending?  Higher education spending?  Medical spending for children, the disabled and the elderly?  Economic development programs?

Call your Senator and tell them to be reponsible - vote NO on HB1002. Find out more reasons to oppose the capitol gains tax cut.

Join the AFL-CIO tomorrow to rally for the middle-class and workers' rights across the nation! Come to the Capitol Steps Tuesday, February 22nd at 11:30.

The Citizens First Congress is a grassroots coalition of 49 community groups from across Arkansas that works on progressive reform at the Arkansas Legislature.

• Improve opportunities to learn for all students.
• Expand the ARKids First health insurance program.
• Require the oil and gas industry to follow best management practices.
• Oppose state-level immigration reform.
• Support fair tax reform.
• Implement fair energy policies.
• Develop a new state water plan.
• Support the DREAM Act.
• Increase penalties for wage theft.
• Reform prison sentencing practices.

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