From ALGOP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 15, 2008 HUBBARD SAYS REPUBLICAN-SPONSORED REFORM MEASURES SHOULD TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 2008 REGULAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION Montgomery – House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard (R – Auburn) on Tuesday said the upcoming legislative session should concentrate its efforts on passing much needed, Republican-sponsored reform measures that the Democrat leadership has killed for the past several years. "From immigration reform to tougher ethics measures to middle-class tax cuts, the Democrat leadership has consistently ignored very vital, and much needed, Republican reform legislation for purely partisan political reasons," Hubbard said. "It is time for our Republican bills to get a free, open and fair debate on the floor of the Alabama House instead of being swept under the carpet by the Democrat leadership." Hubbard noted that in recent years, the Democrats have often tried to misappropriate Republican legislation and issues by having members of their party sponsor bills that are identical to Republican measures they have killed time and time again. "Far too many times, the Democrats have tried to rob our issues and claim them as their own," Hubbard said. "To kill a bill in one session and put your name on it in the next is dishonest to the voters who put you in office. The Democrats are simply playing a legislative shell game with their constituents and hoping they don’t notice the game is rigged." He noted that a package of bills sponsored by Rep. Micky Hammon (R – Decatur) and designed to combat illegal immigration is just one example of how the Democrats talk tough on an issue while working feverishly to kill the legislation. Among the bills in Hammon’s package was legislation that banned illegal immigrants from voting and another that demanded proof of citizenship before accessing public benefits. "The Democrats say they want to stop illegal immigrants from setting roots in Alabama, yet they indefinitely postpone every tough bill that Rep. Hammon and other Republicans offer to address the issue," Hubbard said. Hubbard, who also serves as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said legislation returning property tax reappraisals to a four-year cycle is another example of bills the Democrats claim to support but prevent from passing in session after session. "If Republicans support four-year reappraisals and Democrats claim to support them, then why didn’t we pass the legislation when it was first introduced several years ago," Hubbard asked. "It’s simple. The Democrat leadership, which controls the flow of legislation, is hoping their tough talk will mask their total inaction on this and other important issues." The GOP leader said his Caucus will soon release a list of specific legislation they want considered in the earliest days of the upcoming legislation session, which starts February 5.
