CPA News October 2003

CPA News October 2003

YOU'RE INVITED...

CPA's Summit on the States - December 6-7, 2003 - Capital Hilton, Washington, DC Online registration now available! This December, CPA will hold its seventh annual Summit on the States at the Capital Hilton in Washington, DC. Come hear about the most innovative model policies to advance and improve civil rights, health care, jobs, education and more. The Summit will also include plenty of skill-building and networking opportunities. Reserve your hotel room before November 14 to receive a special conference rate! For more information or to register, visit our website, or contact Quinta Martin at (202) 956-5132.

CPA 2003 Awards Dinner - Friday, December 5, 2003, 7:00 PM - Capital Hilton, Washington, DC Reserve your tickets! CPA will hold its Annual Awards Dinner, honoring Georgia State Representative Nan Grogan Orrock and AFL-CIO Executive Director Richard Womack. Please join us on this special evening to pay tribute to these outstanding progressive leaders. For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit our website, or contact Chris Rutledge at (202) 956-5151.

PROGRESS ON POLICY...

California Enacts Landmark Health Care Legislation
In what is being hailed as a groundbreaking model of health care legislation, California Gov. Gray Davis signed a law on October 5 that will require many California companies to buy employees health insurance and extend coverage to more than a million uninsured workers. Under the new law, companies must pay at least 80 percent of monthly insurance premiums, leaving employees to cover only about 20 percent, while low-income workers would contribute not more than 5 percent of their wages toward the premium. This important law will compel employers to start addressing the needs of the 6.4 million uninsured Californians, the majority of whom are workers and their families, and serves as a bold model for other states to follow. To view CPA’s Health Policies summaries and resources, click here.

Alabama, Nevada and Louisiana Move to Restore Voting Rights to Ex-Offenders
2003 has been a banner year for the cause of voting rights restoration. Alabama Gov. Bob Riley signed a bill in September requiring the state parole board to issue a “certificate of eligibility to vote” to most ex-offenders after completion of sentence, including any parole, probation or payment of fines. Nevada amended its law to automatically re-enfranchise most first-time offenders on completion of their prison sentence or parole. Repeat offenders and anyone convicted of violent crimes would have the right to petition the courts for re-enfranchisement. Louisiana enacted legislation extending its current law to restore voting rights to individuals convicted of a felony prior to 1974 once they have completed their sentence. Earlier, Wyoming moved to reinstate voting rights for persons convicted of nonviolent felonies. To view CPA's Voting Rights Restoration policy summary, model legislation and related resources, click here.

Eight States Pass Measures Expanding Immigrant Rights
In the past year, state legislatures have enacted several bills addressing the needs of immigrant communities and expanding immigrants’ access to education and employment. This month, California enacted a law granting immigrants the ability to obtain a driver’s license. Hawaii also enacted a law allowing immigrant residents without a Social Security Number to obtain a driver’s license with other means of identification. New Mexico also made it easier for immigrants to obtain a driver’s license by permitting the use of IRS-issued tax identification numbers in place of Social Security Numbers. Gov. Frank O’Bannon of Indiana directed state agencies to accept Mexican consular identification cards as proof of identity. Similarly, Nevada passed a bill allowing identification cards from foreign consulates to serve as proof of identity, although they may not be used to obtain a driver’s license. In Illinois, Oklahoma, and Washington, immigrants now have the right to in-state tuition if they graduate from a state high school and have been a state resident for several years. The legislation in Washington was sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney (Flemming Fellow-1997, Roosevelt Fellow-2001, CPA Legislator of the Month) based on a CPA-recommended model. To view CPA’s Immigrant Rights policy summaries and related resources, click here.

CPA LEGISLATOR OF THE MONTH... WASHINGTON REP. PHYLLIS GUTIERREZ KENNEY

In Washington, Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney led the way this year in opening the doors of public colleges to immigrant residents. Read more…

YOU SHOULD KNOW...

Support Progressive Policy? Support CPA! Help CPA continue its work advancing progressive public policy and supporting progressive state legislators. You can make a tax-deductible, secure donation to the Center for Policy Alternatives via Network for Good here.

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH...

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, when advocates, government officials, corporations, health professionals and others organize activities to raise awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence, emphasize prevention, and publicize the availability of services for victims. In light of this, CPA highlights an excellent resource for related information, http://www.vaw.umn.edu/. A joint project of the University of Minnesota and the Department of Justice, the Violence Against Women Online Resources page offers model legislation combating domestic violence, news and research on issues surrounding battering and sexual assault, and an easily searchable online document library. Accessible and geared towards legislators and advocates, this site is a must-visit for those interested in domestic violence policy.

View Previous Editions of our Newsletter:

Do you have a friend who might be interested in receiving CPA News? If so, have them subscribe here