Diocesan lobbyists are gearing up slowly during the 2009 General Assembly at the State Capitol in Little Rock.
So far six diocesan employees who are registered lobbyists are following 11 bills currently before the state legislature. Lobbyists said they expect to take positions on more legislation as it is introduced.
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Each of the 11 bills has been presented to Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and he has approved of the lobbyists’ positions they are presenting to the legislators.
So far the most active legislative area is immigration and domestic violence. Bishop Taylor personally has lobbied members of the House Judiciary Committee who are set to vote on a comprehensive anti-immigrant bill, modeled after a law in Oklahoma. House Bill 1093 would make it a felony for U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents to harbor or transport undocumented workers and require public employers to electronically verify employees’ immigration status.
The diocese is lobbying against the bill along with the Arkansas Friendship Coalition, a group of religious leaders and business executives.
The bishop turned to the priests of the diocese and his 1,400 “friends” on Facebook to e-mail and call the committee members to oppose the bill. Maricella Garcia, Catholic Immigration Services director in Little Rock, also created a Facebook group called “Vote No on HB 1093” to notify people about the bill’s status.
It is still pending before the House committee.
Garcia has worked with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc. in Washington to write a 12-page legal analysis of the bill.
“Implementing this bill will likely cause an exodus, not only of undocumented immigrants but also of documented immigrants/citizens of Hispanic origin,” Garcia wrote. “The loss of income from the flow of immigrants out of the state can have a devastating impact during this time of economic crisis.”
Garcia said if the bill was signed into law, undocumented residents would not be harmed directly.
“The punishment is only on citizens or legal residents,” she said.
If the bill passes, “this will drive people further into the shadows,” Garcia said.
Garcia said she is particularly concerned about the domestic violence clients her office works with under the Violence Against Women Act.
“The trafficking and harboring provisions would make the VAWA program unworkable,” she said
One other anti-immigrant bill has been filed in the House. The diocese is also opposing HB 1383, which would create civil penalties for contractors who hire illegal immigrants.
Domestic violence
The diocese is supporting five bills before the House about domestic violence. Through Catholic Immigration Services in Little Rock and Springdale, Catholic Charities works with many abused immigrant women. During the past two years, immigration specialists have served 260 women and their children from all over Arkansas.
HB1038: This bill would make it a felony to have a second violation of a protection order within five years.
“This will make it a harsher penalty for breaking restraining orders and will protect victims by ensuring that repeat abusers are put in jail,” Garcia said.
HB1039: This bill would amend first- and second-degree battery to include a specific offense for knowingly causing physical injury to a child under 12 or a household member over 60.
HB1040: This bill adds smothering and strangulation as domestic violence crimes.
HB1041: This bill increases the penalty for domestic violence on household members when committed in front of children.
HB1058: This bill removes the statute of limitations on assault domestic violence cases. Currently cases can only be filed within seven years of the incidence.
All of these bills passed in the House and are now before the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
Health care
Karen DiPippa, director of the Catholic Charities’ Westside Free Medical Clinic, has been working to ensure that legislators know that the diocese is supportive of the tobacco and cigarette tax. DiPippa said the increased tax would lower the use of tobacco and cigarettes and thus reduce cancer risks. HB1204 was approved by the House Feb. 5 and is now before the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation.
According to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, “Currently there are approximately 4,900 adult deaths from smoking,” DiPippa said.
An appropriations bill will have to be filed to dictate where the tax money is spent. Gov. Mike Beebe would like the tax, which is expected to generate $87.8 million a year, to fund a state-wide trauma system and for other health care programs.
“This will increase the health care opportunities to children and the elderly and provide stroke and cancer screenings, autism programs in addition to funding community health centers for persons without coverage,” DiPippa said.
Guns
The diocese is opposing HB1237, which would change the current concealed handgun law. If approved, it would allow licensed concealed handguns in churches and places of worship.
Dennis Lee, chancellor for administrative affairs, said, “I’m not aware of any situation when a person needed to have a concealed handgun in a Catholic church. The prohibition against allowing them in church should remain in place.”
The bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee.
Lee said, “If the latest version of this bill were to pass, churches would have to post a sign stating ’carrying a handgun is prohibited’ to keep them off their premises.”
Abortion
The diocese is again supporting the passage of a state partial-birth abortion ban. A law similar to the current HB1113 was approved by the state legislature in 1997, but after the 8th and 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down similar laws, a new federal ban was signed into law and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. While it is not necessary for the state to have its own ban, Marianne Linane, diocesan respect life director, said it would allow the state to step in and prosecute a doctor who performs one.
“Arkansas wants to stand up and be counted as being against partial-birth abortion,” Linane said.
The bill passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor Feb. 10.
Adoptions
Adoption advocates are once again working on a compromise bill that would allow birth parents to choose whether they need to have 10 days or five after signing the adoption consent to be sure about their decision to place their child. Antje Harris, director of Catholic Adoptions Services, said supporters of HB 1280 feel it is generally better for babies to be legally free for adoption in a shorter period of time.
“This is the very same bill that we and the Arkansas Adoption Association attempted to pass last session (in 2007),” Harris said. “It would allow birth parents to shorten the time they have to wait from 10 days to five before their child is placed with the adoptive parents. Babies would be able to bond with their new families quicker and, of course, the adoptive parents would be relieved. A birth parent who needs the full 10 days would still have that option, but almost all of the birth mothers we work with tell us that the 10 days are much too long.”
The Diocese of Little Rock has a legislative advocacy team in place to track policy-making activity at the State Capitol. The team will issue a weekly e-mail newsletter with information about bills being monitored. If you want to keep up with proposed laws and get guidance on advocacy, send your e-mail address to Tom Navin at tnavin@dolr.org.
Fewer Catholics at the Capitol during 2009 session
The number of elected Catholic officials at the State Capitol has dropped. In addition to Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, there are only five representatives and no senators. In 2007 there were seven Catholic senators and representatives.
The representatives are:
Richard Carroll, District 39. He is a boilermaker in North Little Rock. It is his first term in office. Phone: (501) 372-1099. E-mail: carrollr@arkleg.state.ar.us.
Johnny Hoyt, District 60. He is retired and lives in Morrilton. His first term was in 2007. Phone: (501) 354-4360. E-mail: hoytj@arkleg.state.ar.us
Barry Hyde, District 40. He is a commercial builder in North Little Rock. His first term was in 2007. Phone: (501) 371-0255. E-mail: bhyde@hydco.com
Tracy Pennartz, District 65. She is a health care consultant for Pennartz and Associates in Fort Smith. Her first term was in 2007. Phone: (479) 285-4800. E-mail: pennartzt@arkleg.state.ar.us
Jon Woods, District 93. He works in the insurance and real estate business in Springdale. His first term was in 2007. Phone: (479) 200-3100. E-mail: woodsj@arkleg.state.ar.us
