General Assembly: Big Issues Loom in Last Week

General Assembly: Big Issues Loom in Last Week

The General Assembly may be done with most of the heavy-lifting on the state budget, but there is still a slew of other big issues that have piled up for the last week of this session—from illegal immigration and racial profiling to controversial economic development plans.

The biggest issues include the following:

Civil unions—Still needs Senate OK: The gay marriage issue may have faded into the background over the last few weeks, but it still needs passage by the state Senate, and hasn’t even made it out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. But the committee has held a hearing on the bill and a vote is scheduled for this Wednesday.

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Illegal immigration simmering: What ever happened to illegal immigration? Over the last few months this hot-button issue may have taken a back seat to the gay marriage battle, but two key bills are still pending. One would restore the E-Verify system for state employees. The other would institute in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. In the House, both bills are still stalled in committee. State Rep Doreen Costa, R-North Kingstown, supports E-Verify but opposes in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. “We need to focus on the people that are here legally,” Costa said. Rep Anastasia Williams, D-Providence, draws no such distinction. She says that illegal immigrants need an education to be able to “compete and contribute” to society.

I-195 Redevelopment: A plan to put the redevelopment of the old Interstate 195 land under control of a Governor-appointed commission has sparked accusations that the state is trampling on Providence. The controversial bill—which has also drawn the ire of the good government group Common Cause—has passed the Senate but has yet to clear the House. City officials in Providence have largely stayed quiet about the bill, as they keep their fingers crossed for help from the state in dealing with the city’s financial emergency.

Binding arbitration for teacher unions: Under current law, if there is any breakdown in negotiations between police and fire unions with a city or town, both parties are required to enter into arbitration. House and Senate legislation would make arbitration binding for teachers too—something the state Tea Party has blasted in a series of news alerts to members. “Public sector unions want binding arbitration on fiscal matters when school districts reach impasse with the local union leaders,” the group said in a recent news release. “They want to strip elected officials of their democratic rights to regain control over unaffordable and unsustainable contracts. They don’t care that your property taxes will only increase as a result of their ultimate control via an arbitrator.” Both the House and Senate Labor Committees have hearings on similar binding arbitration bills this Wednesday.

Racial profiling: In the House, a bill aimed at stopping racial profiling has made it out of committee and is waiting for a floor vote. In the meantime, the state police chiefs association has come out against the bill, citing specific provisions that would interfere with an officer’s ability to do his or her job. “It’s educating law enforcement, but it’s not every law enforcement officer,” said Williams, a supporter of the bill. “Unfortunately one or two bad officers make all the good ones look bad.”

Seatbelts for everyone and no cell phones for teen drivers: New legislation would make failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense. A related bill would bar handheld cell phones for drivers under 21. Both bills passed the Senate last week. In the House, the seatbelt bill made it out of the Judiciary Committee and is awaiting a vote on the floor. Costa said the seatbelt bill makes the state less free at a time when it already ranks 45th in a recent national freedom index. “It’s going to be another way to stop people and get more money out of them,” she said. “So we’re 45th, how much more can you take out of the state?” But Williams, the bill’s sponsor, said it’s about safety and education. “It’s about saving lives [and] educating the community of … the need to wear a seatbelt,” she said.

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