http://www.denverpost.com/frontpage/ci_3533678
02/22/2006 1:00 AM MST

Bills to curb foreign influx rejected
Amid tense debate on a key GOP issue, two measures to study or trim illegal immigration win a state House panel's approval, but six others are killed.
By Jim Hughes
Denver Post Staff Writer

Democratic lawmakers killed several Republican bills targeting illegal immigration Tuesday night, approving two modest proposals and indicating their support for a crackdown on state contractors that hire illegal workers.

After more than eight hours of occasionally emotional testimony and debate, the House Committee on State, Veterans and Military Affairs signed off on:

An audit of a 2003 law governing identification cards, and an analysis of birth certificates' susceptibility to forgery.

An adjustment to regulations for bail-bond agents whose clients are wanted for immigration violations.

The proposal to regulate state contractors that hire undocumented workers could make it out of the committee in the coming days.

That measure, contained in House Bill 1343, could not receive a vote Tuesday because legislative staff had not yet produced an analysis of its fiscal impact. But it will clear the committee, predicted the panel's chairman, Rep. Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville. Democrats support the bill, which is sponsored by Arvada Republican Rep. Bill Crane, Weissmann said.

But Republicans noted the party-line votes that killed six of the nine bills under consideration Tuesday. They complained that the Democrats, who control the House 35-30 and the Senate 18-17, had failed to take seriously what for them is the hot-button issue of the season.

"I'm not presuming why anybody voted any way," said committee member Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud. "All I know is that every bill that would really make a difference on this issue failed on a strict party-line vote."

Committee member Rep. Fran Coleman, D-Denver, said she takes the immigration issue seriously but sees it as more of a federal issue.

"The (Republicans') solutions were unfunded mandates to counties and local governments, and I'm not going to do that," she said.

A citizens' group, citing frustration with government inaction, is trying to get a ballot question before voters in November that would restrict state services for illegal immigrants. According to the Bell Policy Center, between 200,000 and 250,000 Colorado immigrants are undocumented.

Among the proposals Democrats rejected Tuesday night were a bill that would have told law enforcement agencies to seek training from federal immigration officials, another barring in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, one that told school administrators to ask new students about their immigration status, and another that would have made employers liable for the criminal activity of illegal employees both on and off the clock.

That last bill, sponsored by Republican House Minority Leader Joe Stengel, drew particular criticism from the business community during Tuesday's hearing.

"This is probably one of the most anti-business bills that have been introduced this session," said Jeff Weist of the tort-reform advocacy group the Colorado Civil Justice League.

Chuck Berry of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry also singled out Stengel's bill for criticism.

Stengel, who often criticizes Democratic bills as being "anti-business," defended his bill later in the evening as committee members debated its merits.

"This is a good business bill," Stengel said. "It highlights the bad business practices that are flying under the radar screen."

A proposal to put the health certifications of restaurants that hire illegal workers in jeopardy stalled out in a tie vote and is expected to expire officially this week.

Tuesday's hearing drew more than 200 people, 44 of whom testified. Supporters of the Republican proposals spoke about murders, rapes and car accidents perpetrated by illegal workers, diseases introduced to the general population by the surging immigrant community, and the need for law and order.

"We're tired of it, and we as citizens absolutely demand that each one of you stand up for us," immigration-reform activist Frosty Wooldridge
said. "It is my expectation that you will pass most of these (bills) ... because when you start applying the law, illegal aliens - criminals - go away."
Opponents argued that the proposals being offered were unconstitutional and contrary to American multicultural ideals.

But Rep. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, who had three bills die Tuesday, vowed that the issue was not going away. Schultheis, Crane and Rep. Jim Welker, R-Loveland, all went to Arizona in October on a fact-finding mission to the Mexican border.

"If they think 12 bills were too much this year, wait until next year," Schultheis said. "We're going to deal with this problem."

Staff writer Jim Hughes can be reached at 303-820-1244 or jhughes@denverpost.com.
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Tuesday's immigration bills
House Bill 1306
Orders a state audit of government identity checks and an analysis of birth certificates' susceptibility to forgery. Approved by committee.
Sponsor: Rep. Matt Knoedler, R-Lakewood

House Bill 1062
Requires public schools to check students' residency status and present report to legislature. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. Jim Welker, R-Loveland.

House Bill 1082
Creates civil liability for employers when illegal workers commit crimes on or off the job. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. Joe Stengel, R-Littleton

House Bill 1131
Suggests minor changes to bailbonds regulations for suspects wanted for federal immigration violations. Approved by committee.
Sponsor: Rep. Joe Stengel, R-Littleton

House Bill 1133
Prohibits state from giving contracts to businesses that knowingly employ undocumented workers; bars in-state college tuition for unlawful residents. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch

House Bill 1134
Requires state, county and local law enforcement agencies to enhance cooperation in the policing of illegal immigration. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs

House Bill 1286 Requires restaurants to verify residency of employees. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs

House Bill 1290
Requires all employers to apply to participate in federal pilot program to verify residency status of employees. Failed.
Sponsor: Rep. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs

House Bill 1343
Prohibits state contracts for companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants and requires that contractors certify they don't knowingly employ illegal immigrants. Creates tip line for reporting violations. Vote delayed, but bill will clear committee, Democrats say.
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Crane,