Thread: Alabama Immigration Law

Ala. immigration law revisions headed to Senate

April 25, 2012, 6:58 p.m. CDT
AP

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A House-passed bill making changes in Alabama's tough immigration law underwent changes in a state Senate committee Wednesday and is headed to the Senate next week for more changes.

"There is no doubt in my mind this bill is going to change," said Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston.

Last year, the state legislature passed an immigration law that proponents and critics called the nation's toughest.

Some parts of the law were put on hold by the federal courts and others caused long lines at courthouses. That prompted House sponsor, Republican Rep. Micky Hammon of Decatur, to offer a bill this session making changes. For instance, it sought to end long lines at courthouses by clarifying that people only need to prove their legal residency the first time they buy a business license or get a car tag and not when they renew them.

Hammon got his bill through the House April 19. On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved it 7-3 after making some changes.

Hammon's bill sought to expand the original law by allowing police who are arresting or ticketing a driver to also check the legal status of passengers if police have reasonable suspicion the passengers are in the country illegal. The committee deleted that because of legal questions.

The committee also added a prohibition against school officials asking children about their parents' place of birth or immigration status, and it specified the changes would take effect in 60 days rather than immediately in the House's version.

Hammon urged the committee not to delay implementation 60 days.

"We feel like the changes we've made will make it easier for our citizens," he said.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said he expects the Senate to consider the bill Tuesday. Some opponents complained that's too fast, but Marsh said the legislative session in nearing an end.

"When you've got eight days left, you've got to use them to the best of your ability," he said.

The meeting occurred a few hours after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Arizona's immigration law, which includes many features in Alabama's law. The court's ruling likely won't come in time to provide guidance for the Legislature on Hammon's bill.

The Senate committee's meeting became heated, like many of the discussions over Alabama's law.

Zayne Smith, director of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, told the committee that Alabama's immigration law has brought back harsh images from the segregation era and prompted people to ask her why she lives in a "hateful state."

"I've had it with that," Republican Sen. Phil Williams of Rainbow City said. He said Smith's home state of Texas has had its problems, and she was misrepresenting Alabama.

"Don't tell me this state is less than I know it to be," he said.

Democratic Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham recounted incidents of racial profiling he has experienced in recent years and said Smith's comments were correct.

"Yes, that is our perception out there," he told Williams.

source: Ala. immigration law revisions headed to Senate | al.com