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House keeps Welcome, Reception and Integration grant program; debate over prioritizing recent migrants and federal funding risk
Summary
HB 12‑44 passed after debate about whether the program that funds community organizations assisting migrants should prioritize people who have arrived within three years. Opponents raised concerns that extending program eligibility risks loss of federal funding; supporters said the change simply clarifies the grant program already appropriated.
The House passed HB 12‑44, a technical cleanup to the statewide Welcome, Reception and Integration Grant Program adopted last year. The bill clarifies program priorities for community‑based organizations that receive grants to help newly arrived migrants, replacing a one‑year definition of “new” with language allowing prioritization of migrants who have arrived within the past three years.
Supporters, including Representative Velasco, said the amendment is intended to ensure organizations already…
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