Lawmakers: AAPI caucus lays out its legislative priorities

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The new Georgia AAPI Caucus outlines legislative priorities

Credit: Sarah Kallis, GPB News

Members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander legislative caucus held a news conference Tuesday morning to outline their priorities for the upcoming legislative session. 

The caucus, which includes 11 voting members, is one of the largest AAPI caucuses in the nation. The caucus was formed in late 2022. 

Increasing AAPI voter turnout will be a key priority of the AAPI caucus, Rep. Soo Hong (R - Lawrenceville) said. The efforts will include education on the voting process and registration. 

Rep. Long Tran (D - Dunwoody) said the caucus will also focus on expanding in-state tuition rates at public universities in Georgia to children of undocumented immigrants. Under current Georgia law, children of undocumented immigrants living in Georgia have to pay the out-of-state tuition rate at public colleges within the state. Tran said this effort will increase college enrollment and provide a pathway to higher-paying jobs for these students. 

"As a son of refugee parents, they came over here hoping to bold a better life for their children, for their children to achieve unimaginable things," Tran said, noting that undocumented parents have the same dreams for their children.

The caucus will also focus on legislation to help small businesses, and plans to collaborate with other minority caucuses. Members of the Legislative Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus also spoke in support of the new AAPI Caucus. 

Rep. Michelle Au (D - Johns Creek) said, "Given that the minority communities in Georgia have so many shared goals, the best way to achieve those goals, in fact, to work together and to build cross-culture coalitions and empower those groups."