Thread: WI: Rep. Lasee plans to pitch two bills on immigration

Rep. Lasee plans to pitch two bills on immigration

By Karen Lincoln Michel
Press-Gazette Madison bureau

MADISON — As Assembly Republicans prepare to debate their version of a state budget with no new taxes, Rep. Frank Lasee talked of his own conservative agenda on taxes and immigration.


The Republican from Bellevue said he plans to introduce two immigration bills this session, one that passed the Legislature last year but was vetoed by Gov. Jim Doyle.


His effort to address the immigration issue in Wisconsin comes after Congress failed to pass a major immigration reform bill in late June that would have offered legal status to millions of illegal immigrants in the United States while also tightening border security.


"I don't blame anyone for trying to better their lives and their families' lives, and that's what these people are doing," said Lasee, adding that his wife is a German immigrant. "We cannot take the whole world's problems on our back. We cannot afford it, and it will eventually really hurt our economy."


He said one of the bills would be designed to require verification of legal status before becoming eligible for state subsidies. The second bill targets businesses in two ways: in protecting business owners who unknowingly hire undocumented workers and assessing fines against business owners who knowingly hire undocumented workers.


Lasee mentions in the Q&A his opposition to raising taxes.


Lasee, who has been a staunch supporter in previous legislative sessions of amending the state constitution to limit yearly tax increases through a proposal also known as the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, says Wisconsin residents are taxed enough.


He said he stands firmly behind the Assembly Republican effort against passing any new tax increases when the Assembly votes on the budget Tuesday.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/app ... 07/GPGnews

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

He said one of the bills would be designed to require verification of legal status before becoming eligible for state subsidies.

This isn't already done!?!