Latino Civil Rights Group Backs Iowa BLM Coalition Legislative Agenda

IOWA - A Latino civil rights group is adding its support for the legislative demands from the Iowa BLM Coalition.

The League of United Latin American Citizens backs the agenda, which includes legalizing marijuana and repealing several laws.

Other priorities include a constitutional amendment to protect voting rights of people convicted of a felony.

Some state lawmakers also support some demands from the BLM Coalition, which is made up of Black Lives Matter groups from across the state.

Waterloo State Representative Ras Smith, in particular, backs one of the demands to address the infant mortality rate which is three times higher for black women.

The BLM demands also call for the repeal of three laws. One of the laws, which establishes a bill of rights for police officers, effectively blocks the creation Citizen Review Boards with subpoena power over police departments.

Another law targeted to repeal requires law enforcement in Iowa to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) released a statement Monday supporting the BLM Coalition demands.

“LULAC supports all policies that respect the full dignity of our Black and African American community members” said Sergio Perez, chair of the newly established LULAC Iowa State Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

  • The Iowa BLM Coalition Demands are below:
  • Legalize cannabis and expunge records.
  • Repeal Iowa Code 80F (the Iowa Peace Officer Bill of Rights).
  • Repeal of SF481 (an anti-immigrant law).
  • Repeal Iowa Code 904.808 (which requires our state to purchase from Iowa Prison Industries).
  • Create legislation to promote Black maternal and infant health.
  • A constitutional amendment to protect the voting rights of Iowans who have been convicted of a felony.

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