Senator Russell Pearce (R) spoke with APA and GLEA President Justin Harris regarding the Safe Neighborhoods bills before it was introduced. The many bills turned into one (SB 1070) and changed dramatically thanks to APA.  The final bill did incorporate all the changes APA requested for law enforcement.

SB-1070 has numerous safeguards included to protect the rights of minority groups. The bill requires reasonable suspicion for officers to make contact and also contains language that allows officers discretion in enforcing the law. The only MANDATES in the law are:

1. Officers cannot stop a person based solely on race, color, or national origin (racial profiling).

2. “No official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may limit or restrict the enforcement of federal immigration laws to less than the full extent permitted by federal law.”

The Arizona Police Association and its members were the only organization asked to support the governor in the signing of SB 1070 last Friday.

READ THE FINAL SB 1070 HERE