WASHINGTON, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund issued the following statement regarding Texas HB 12:
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund is strongly opposed to HB 12, a bill that will have the same detrimental effect as Arizona's SB 1070 law.
"HB 12 is an unconstitutional and very costly measure that will jeopardize the public safety of all Texans," said NALEO President and former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia. "This legislation will violate their civil rights and subject the state's Latinos and newcomers to discrimination."
HB 12 would not allow counties and cities to approve measures blocking law enforcement from asking the legal status of detained persons.
"This bill makes it harder for localities to set their own policies on keeping their neighborhoods safe," said NALEO Educational Fund Chairman Juan C. Zapata. "In these times of pressing economic challenges, HB 12 does nothing but place significant burdens on local governments when limited resources are sorely needed elsewhere."
The NALEO Educational Fund encourages the Texas State Senate to reject this misguided piece of legislation.
ABOUT NALEO Educational Fund
The NALEO Educational Fund is the nation's leading non-partisan, non-profit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.
Contact: Patricia Guadalupe (202) 546-2536
pguadalupe@naleo.org
SOURCE NALEO Educational Fund
