Legislators Reject 3 Immigration Bills

April 4th, 2007 @ 3:44pm by Associated Press
PHOENIX - The Arizona House narrowly rejected three lower-level immigration bills on Wednesday, though proponents plan to try to resurrect one of the proposals later this week.
One proposal would have prohibited state and local government agencies from accepting ID cards provided by the Mexican Consulate to its citizens, known as a matricula consular. The bill (HB2460) was defeated on a 30-25 vote. Thirty-one votes were needed for the measure to head to the Senate.

Republican Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa, sponsor of the three proposals, said the matricula consular bill was needed because the cards are vulnerable to forgery. ``It's just dangerous,'' Pearce said.

Democratic Rep. Tom Prezelski of Tucson, an opponent of the bill, said the proposal would complicate the work of police officers by prohibiting them from using a matricula consular card in identifying a dead body. ``This bill won't do anything to secure the border,'' Prezelski said.

Another bill would have exempted people from other countries from the requirement to get an Arizona driver's license if they have in their immediate possession a license from their home country and evidence that they are in the United States legally. The measure (HB2475) was rejected in a 30-25 vote.

A third proposal would have prohibited government agencies from issuing business licenses to illegal immigrants and would have required agencies to verify the immigration status of those seeking to get or renew a business license.

Though it failed on a 29-26 vote, lawmakers voted to reconsider the measure (HB2467) on Thursday.

http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=439772