CFC priorities moving forward at the Capitol!

Dear Friend,

  Yesterday, over 60 people came from South Arkansas and other areas of the state to lobby as members of the Citizens First Congress at the State Capitol for progressive change in Arkansas. 

They witnessed and testified in committees in the House, addressing policies on issues such as Immigration, Prison Reform, and Education. Citizens met with their state legislators to advocate for these pressing issues in their communities and leveraged their collective power as citizens to affect legislative action.  They have been working hard with the help of the Arkansas Public Policy Panel to organize in their towns and push for changes on the local level, and yesterday they took the next step, working together as a coalition of committed citizens to influence state policy.  

You CAN make a difference.  Please plan to attend our next Lobby Day on February 9th, which will focus on advocating for Clean Energy, Water Infrastructure, Responsible Natural Gas Extraction, and other key environmental issues in Arkansas.  We hope to see you there!

CFC priorities moving forward at the Capitol!

Oppose HB1008, the "anti-DREAM Act", which would require Arkansas students to be U.S. citizens or legal residents to receive in-state tuition at Arkansas colleges.  CFC leaders filled the House Education Committee yesterday to speak against the bill.  The Committee was forced to table the bill until more information from the AR Dept. of Higher Education becomes available.  Wickes High School teacher Rosa Velazquez and Fernando Garcia with the Northwest Arkansas Workers Justice Center spoke against the bill, arguing that these students should have the same opportunities and affordable access to college as other Arkansas high school graduates. You can watch their testimony on the Arkansas House web site.

Support HB 1088, by Rep. John Edwards, to include waste water treatment facilities in the definition of water development district to enable the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to include these types of facilities in their water planning.  This bill unanimously passed the House yesterday and takes us a step closer in gaining support for a revision of the 20-year old state water plan through a more transparent process to include public input, more stakeholders and stream-flow better science.

Other action of note:

HCR1003 and SCR1 encourage the legislature to make use of current subcommittees to research issues rather than creating task forces. This will not become a law, and does not prohibit the legislature from creating task forces. The intention is to reduce the number of task forces, some of which may not be necessary, and which require state resources and staff time to function. In past sessions, the CFC has supported task forces such as the Minority HIV/AIDS Task Force, the Commission on Global Warming, and the Poverty Task Force. These have been very successful in researching the issues and moving policy.

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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