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  1. #1
    Member Pitac56's Avatar
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    Trent Van Haaften response to HB335

    Subject:
    RE: HB 335
    From:
    "House District76" <H76@iga.in.gov>
    Date:
    Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:45:12 -0500
    To:
    "david parrott" <xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>

    You have previously contacted me regarding SB 335, the Immigration bill before the Indiana General Assembly. I wanted to bring you up to date on this issue.

    This past Monday, the Public Policy Committee amended SB 335 by closing some loopholes in the original language. The original language would have allowed the majority of employers to avoid having to check the legal status of their hires. Under the amended version, employers would be required to verify the legal status of all of their hires.



    This bill passed out of committee on a 7-4 vote. Four Democrats and three Republicans voted in favor of the bill which demonstrated bipartisan support for the amended version of SB 335. There were no other amendments proposed during committee which surprised me. It was my belief some members may have other issues to raise and open up to debate. Since no other amendments were offered and we had bipartisan support, I assumed this bill was on its way.

    However, to my surprise a Republican member of the committee filed a minority committee report within an hour of the conclusion of the committee meeting on Monday. Although this was his right to file such a report, he never informed me of his concerns, nor did he present any of the concepts in the report as amendments in committee.

    Since it takes time to prepare such a report, it was obvious he had planned this procedural maneuver prior to our committee meeting on Monday. The manner in which all of this was carried out immediately gave me concern as to the real purpose of the report. There was, of course, the concern this report was nothing more than a "poison pill" to kill SB 335. The reason I felt this was an attempt to kill SB 335 was due to the fact the substance of the minority committee report was the same as an amendment presented by the same member in 2006. The substance of the minority report was defeated in the House in 2006 by a vote of 74-19.

    By attempting to put this same language into SB 335, I was concerned this Republican committee member was setting the bill up for defeat.

    After deliberation on how to approach this procedural maneuver, it was decided to take the contents of SB 335 and present it as a second reading amendment to another pending bill. By taking this step, we would guarantee the entire House would get the opportunity to vote on the issue of illegal immigration.

    In order to avoid the "poison pill" of the minority committee report, the contents of SB 335 (as amended and approved in a bipartisan manner in the Public Policy committee) were presented as an amendment to SB 345. The amendment was presented on Thursday, February 21st. When it was presented, House Republicans complained about the procedure that was used to avoid the "poison pill" of the minority committee report. These complaints led to the House Republicans walking off the floor of the House and not returning.

    The business of the House was recessed until Monday, February 25th. It is at that time I hope the issue of holding employers accountable for the hiring of illegal aliens will finally be addressed by the House. I cannot predict whether the House Republicans will continue to delay action on this bill.

    I must also comment that I do not believe this delay is an action of the entire House Republican caucus. It is my gut feeling the majority of their caucus wants to vote on this bill and hold employers accountable. However, I also believe there are a limited few who simply want to politicize the issue of illegal immigration instead of implementing sound public policy. In my time here at the House, it has become obvious some leaders want to prepare their next commercial for election season instead of solving our state's problems.

    I can promise you I will continue to work towards passing the policy of holding employers accountable for hiring illegal aliens. This is the first and most effective step to take in solving this problem. After all, isn't that why we have legislative bodies, to solve the problems of our state? I know that is why I am here.


    Trent Van Haaften

    State Representative

    District 76

  2. #2
    Senior Member zeezil's Avatar
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    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  3. #3
    Senior Member Gogo's Avatar
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    I've never seen such a specific letter from an representative. That impresses me. It gives good information for further action by Alipac.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  4. #4
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    I recieved the same letter.
    Unless we get those criminals & make them pay for what they have done to our country and the lawlessness they have sponsored, we are just another Mexico ourselves!

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