Immigration (Refugees & Asylum)

AB 896 requires local governments (cities, towns, counties, school districts) to coordinate with federal refugee resettlement programs. If federal authorities or a private agency contact a local official about placing refugees, the official must report this within 7 business days to their chief elected official. Within 30 days, the local government must appoint a designee to consult with federal agencies, form a county committee for discussion, and hold a public hearing before making a recommendation on refugee placement. This bill establishes a structured process for local input on federal refugee resettlement plans, affecting all local governments within a 100-mile radius of the initial contact.

SB 877 requires local governments (cities, towns, counties, school districts) to notify and consult with neighboring jurisdictions when federal refugee resettlement is proposed in their area. It mandates written reports to chief elected officials within 7 days of initial contact, followed by 10-day notifications to nearby governments, 30-day meetings to appoint local representatives, and 45-day county-level committee meetings with refugee resettlement organizations. The bill also requires public hearings with 15-day newspaper notices and written recommendations to local governing bodies about refugee placement plans. This directly affects all local governments within 100 miles of proposed refugee resettlement sites, creating a structured consultation process before final decisions are made.