2022 State Legislative Session in Review

The Refugee Advocacy Lab is wrapping up the 2022 state legislative session activity in most of our core states. With the exception of Michigan, which has a full year term, June marks a transition from active engagement with legislators to reflection on our work’s impact before entering a planning phase for state session 2023. This moment of reflection offers a chance for us to consider where we performed well and where we need to reinforce our efforts next year. 

Colorado

Goals: Advance the following three efforts: 

• H.B.22-1050 International Medical Graduate (IMG) Healthcare Workforce Bill

• H.B.22-1094 Medicaid Assistance for Survivors of Torture Bill

• Budget Request for the Office of New Americans

Outcomes: 

H.B.22-1050 successfully passed through the legislature and is currently with the Governor for signature. Efforts around this bill were founded on and driven by the experience and needs of impacted community members with backgrounds in the medical field who are eager to contribute their expertise in their new communities. The measure brought together new partners, including the Colorado Rural Health Association and the Colorado Medical Society. We reinforced these efforts by working with the sponsor of S.B.22-226: Programs to Support Healthcare Workforce to amend the bill language so that programs supporting IMGs entering the healthcare workforce would not be excluded from funding. This measure passed and is also pending signature.

During the budget process, we also worked to support the allocation of resources for the Office of New Americans (ONA), a new department established through legislation last year with the support of the Refugee Advocacy Lab. With the participation of over 150 Coloradans who engaged state legislators, the state budget included over $195,000 to support staff to implement programming at the ONA.

The Lab was also proud to return to the capitol in person this year. With community partners, we met with legislators and provided testimony at hearings in support of pro-refugee legislation. A Refugee Advocacy Day, which took place in early April was sponsored by Representative Iman Jodeh and offered refugee and impacted community leaders a chance to connect with legislators and tour the capitol after being recognized in the House Gallery.

Georgia

Goal: Advance H.B.932 to ensure that non-citizen students with certain refugee, special immigrant, or humanitarian parole status receive in-state tuition. 

Outcomes

The Lab State Lead organized local business and community members to rally support for H.B. 932. This coalition provided over a dozen statements in support of the legislation during the committee hearing in the House. However, despite the community support and favorable media coverage, it was not enough to overcome the opposition pressures and the bill failed within the legislature. 

The Lab was also responsive to the opportunity to support H.B.1013 Mental Health Parity Act. Following the engagement of the Lab’s State Lead, the bill passed and included a number of amendments reflective of the particular needs of immigrants and refugees in the state of Georgia. The Lab State Lead worked with the bill sponsor, House Speaker David Ralston, to include language access amendments such as including the creation of and access to culturally and linguistically sensitive material. See more of the hearing deliberations here.

Additionally, under the leadership of the Georgia Lab State Lead, New Americans Day returned to the Capitol. Watch the press event here. In recognition of the day, a number of bipartisan resolutions were introduced including S.R.453 & H.R.715. 

The fight for in-state tuition for new Americans in Georgia will continue. 

Michigan

Goals

• Secure follow-on funding for the West Michigan Refugee & Immigrant Community Center

• Advance support for access to mental health for refugees  

Outcomes:

Still pending as the state session advances through the year and the budget is heard in committees this summer!

Nevada 

Goal: Support strong implementation of S.B.318: Making Various Changes to Improve Access to Government Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, including working with the state Office of New Americans, supporting the language planning process across the state, and ensuring equitable and representative input from refugees and communities alike. 

Outcome: 

There has been an incredible range of support and interest from state and local agencies alike. Locally, the Lab has partnered with Reno City Council to help craft federal policy recommendations on resettlement for the Nevada Congressional Delegation. In recent months, the Lab State Lead has also been working closely with Reno Police Department, providing consultative guidance as they rewrite their language access policy.

The arrival of Afghan parolees motivated state leaders to ensure equitable access to education both at the K-12 and university levels. However, conversations with refugee community leaders and resettlement agencies indicated that those recently arrived who wanted to return to college were being denied access to in-state tuition rates that should be available to them. The Lab State Lead was able to immediately work with the State Department of Education to issue updated guidance to the network of state two and four year colleges.The Lab State Lead will join the State System of Higher Education in the near future for a presentation on this important issue.

Utah

Goals: Advance three measures in the state legislature:

• H.B.230 to amend the enrollment process for refugee and immigrant students in Utah public schools to ensure that they are able to enroll in the grade-level appropriate for them and allow them to stay on track with their studies.

• H.B.302 to increase language accessibility in the state

• S.B.43 to modify occupational and professional licensure requirements to reduce barriers for internationally trained professionals.

Outcomes

State session in Utah was particularly busy this year as the Lab State Lead worked closely with legislators to introduce and advance three measures in support of refugee inclusion. Just as session started, Representative Dan Johnson authored an Op Ed previewing his pro refugee legislation during session. H.B.230: Refugee and Immigrant Student Policies Amendments ensured a streamlined enrollment process to reduce challenges faced by refugee students in the K-12 enrollment process including a lack of accuracy and transparency in accounting for their prior educational experience. The Utah Lab State Lead presented before legislative committee and the bill passed unanimously through committee in the House, the Senate, and through floor votes in both chambers. 

The Lab also supported the introduction and advance of a second measure: H.B.302 Education Language Services Amendments, which ensures that every district in the state has a commitment, plan, and resources to communicate with refugee and immigrant families as they learn English. The bill passed unanimously through House and Senate Education Committees and the Senate Floor vote. 

Finally, the Lab State Lead was able to advance language on recognition of international processional licenses as part of a larger workforce development package included in S.B.43: Occupational and Professional Licensing Modifications. This bill allowed Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing the flexibility to recognize skills, education, and credentials of refugees and immigrants and expanded licensure pathways for those international professionals. One of the bill’s sponsors, Representative Ferry, participated in a cultural orientation for newly arrived refugees which took place in the capitol.

Virginia

Goals: Advance the following legislation:

• H.B.979/S.B.68: offering provisional licensure for teachers licensed or certified outside of the United States.

• H.B.30/S.B.29 to advance outgoing Governor Northam’s budget proposal of $8M for the Office of New Americans to support programming for refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers. 

• S.B.156 requiring state funding to support 22 teachers for each 1000 English language learning students. 

Outcomes

Faced with changes to the legislature and executive following off year elections, the Lab State Lead faced an uphill challenge in advancing policies built out in the months prior to session. This extended session was particularly busy with both budgetary and policy measures pending. 

Policy efforts driven by the Lab State Lead faced unique challenges in the House of Delegates given the transition in power and leadership. H.B.979/S.B.68 Provisional Teacher Licensure were the only measures that survived House committee votes and was signed into law by the Governor. 

The Lab also supported efforts to advance S.B.156: Public Schools English Language Learners which required state funding to support a ration of 22 teachers for each 1000 English language learning students. The House Committee on Education voted to continue this measure in the 2023 state session and the Lab looks forward to seeing passage of the bill.

Budget amendments offered by outgoing Governor Northam that would have supported resettlement efforts were never considered in the special session as anticipated.