Against Arizona Immigration Law, Tony Hill Hopes Special Session Takes Up Economy and Unemployment

At the steps of the old Capitol to launch a new organization to register African-American and Caribbean voters across Florida, Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, weighed in on a number of topics, including the special session of the Legislature next week, extension of unemployment benefits and the need for an Arizona-style law on immigration in the Sunshine State.

Hill disagreed with Gov. Charlie Crists proposal to limit the session to focusing on forwarding a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters which would ban oil drilling in state waters.

We definitely have to expand the call, said Hill, who added the Legislature could focus on property tax relief and the economy -- especially coping with the results of the oil spill.

With Florida continuing to lag behind the nation in job growth, Hill also focused on the unemployed.

We need to expand unemployment benefits, he said. We need them, people are hurting.

Asked about calls for the Legislature to pass tougher laws on immigration like Arizona had, Hill said he would oppose any such measure -- saying the lawswere a violation of civil rights.