State Capitol News

Phoenix, AZ – The Rev. Al Sharpton is protesting a new law which requires
police to investigate when they have reasonable suspicion someone
is in the country illegally. Speaking to an overflow crowd at a
Phoenix church, Sharpton said the first effort will be to get the
law overturned. But he said like the civil rights fights of the
1960s, court battles won't be the end of it.

Phoenix, AZ – The enactment of SB 1070 requiring state and local police to
check the papers of suspected illegal immigrants has provoked a
backlash of sorts, at least on the national level. Various groups
are urging people to cancel their business trips and vacations to
Arizona. Brewer said she's disappointed.

Phoenix, AZ – There has been no shortage of calls by groups to cancel travel to
Arizona because of the bill to give police more power to arrest
illegal immigrants. But on Friday a coalition of organizations
said they would work not only to coordinate those but to expand
the scope of the reprisals. Former state Sen. Alfredo Gutierrez
said companies and retirement systems need to be convinced to
stop investing here.

Phoenix, AZ – The legislation requires police to check the immigration status
of those they contact and lets them charge illegal immigrants
with violating state law. Attorney and state Rep. Ben Miranda
said one problem with the measure is that immigration is strictly
the purview of the federal government. The other is the
possibility of racial profiling by officers who are told to check
identification when they have reasonable suspicion someone is in
this country illegally.

Phoenix, AZ – The parks board already has closed several sites after state
lawmakers, looking to balance the budget, raided their funds.
Several others will shut in early June without a cash infusion.
On Wednesday the House considered a plan to borrow $40 million
from a voter-approved fund earmarked for purchasing and
preserving open space. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema objected.

Phoenix, AZ – The legislation would allow the manufacture of those familiar
incandescent light bulbs in Arizona even after federal law
effectively makes that illegal beginning in 2014. Sen. Frank
Antenori said he is rebelling against Congress trying to regulate
everything under the excuse of interstate commerce.