Help Stop Bill Undermining Farmers Branch’s Illegal-Alien Renting Restrictions

Help Stop Bill Undermining Farmers Branch’s Illegal-Alien Renting Restrictions


This is a special message for NumbersUSA members in Texas.

Dear Texas friends,

Immediate calls are needed to members of the Texas House Calendars Committee. That state committee will very soon consider SB 1398, a bill designed to stop cities like Farmers Branch from prohibiting landlords from renting to illegal aliens.
SB 1398 says, “A municipality may not require a tenant to acquire a license or permit issued by the municipality as a condition for occupying or leasing an individual dwelling unit.” If SB 1398 were to be enacted, Farmers Branch, and every other city in Texas, would be prevented from imposing restrictions on those who rent to illegal aliens.

Please contact House Calendar Committee members to ask them to vote against SB 1398. Talking points are included below.

CHAIRMAN BRIAN MCCALL (512) 463-0594

BURT SOLOMONS (512) 463-0478

CHARLIE GEREN (512) 463-0610

NORMA CHAVEZ (512) 463-0622

GARNETT COLEMAN (512) 463-0524

BYRON COOK (512) 463-0730

BRANDON CREIGHTON (512) 463-0726

JIM KEFFER (512) 463-0656

LOIS KOLKHORST (512) 463-0600

EDMUND KUEMPEL (512) 463-0602

EDDIE LUCIO (512) 463-0606

JIM MCREYNOLDS (512) 463-0490

ALAN RITTER (512) 463-0706


Talking Points

Please vote no on SB 1398. Although the bill does not mention illegal immigration, it is aimed at cities like Farmers Branch to stop their ability to deal with illegal immigration through the granting of licenses for the occupancy of single and multifamily dwellings. Cities have attempted to enact ordinances that require only legal residents to occupy housing in their communities.

The City of Farmers Branch has spent well over $1 million to defend its license ordinance. If passed into law, SB 1398 would interfere with ongoing legal proceedings concerning the validity of the ordinance requiring a rental license to occupy a single or multifamily unit in the city. It would strip a city’s local control to issue licenses and cost tax payers a great deal of money in the process.

The bill is an end-around of the legal system and violates the rights of Texas cities to regulate local affairs. Stopping the Farmers Branch efforts with this legislation will also eliminate the possibility of other communities benefiting from the outcome of the court concerning illegal immigration. In effect, the legislation would derail efforts by many communities to help the federal government address the illegal immigration problem.


Also, please contact Speaker Joe Straus (512-463-0686) and your Representative and ask them to work to defeat SB 1398. If you need to look up the name of your Representative, please use this link - http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php.



THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!

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