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New, 5:20 p.m.: House passes controversial immigration reforms amid controversy


Saturday, July 08, 2006

By MIKE SACCONE

The Daily Sentinel


A keystone piece of Colorado Democratic lawmakers’ anti-illegal immigration legislation passed from the House to the Senate in a party-line vote this morning.

If passed, House Bill 1023, which is sponsored by Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, and Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Golden, will bar illegal immigrants over the age of 18 from receiving non-federally-mandated public services.

However, shortly after the bill’s third reading, the House floor erupted in a partisan debate, with

Republicans saying the bill did not go far enough to address the issue and, in fact, was depriving the electorate of their chance to have a say via a ballot measure.

Numerous House Republicans, including Rep. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, have said the success of the special session will be judged on whether voters have a chance to vote on the issue.

Gov. Bill Owens called the special session the last week of June after the Colorado Supreme Court struck down a ballot initiative that, if passed, would have denied illegal immigrants taxpayer-funded services.

The court tossed the initiative, ruling that it addressed more than one subject.

Rep. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, drew the most ire from House Democrats after he said that because the bill did not address illegal immigrants under 18, it would not address the problem of Mexican youth moving to Colorado and joining gangs.

Harvey’s comments drew shouts of “racist” and “bigot” from the Democratic caucus, with Rep. Dorothy Butcher, D-Pueblo, calling for the sergeant at arms to have him removed from the House chamber.

And Rep. Matt Knoedler, R-Lakewood, elicited laughs from Democrats when he said the bill’s failure to crack down on all state-provided services would encourage illegal immigrants to be drawn to Colorado and repulsed. He said the bill sent the message that state-funded soup kitchens would be a particular draw.

“Come to Colorado: We have free soup,” Knoedler said.

But Romanoff said he thought Knoedler’s remarks were misguided. He said the state needed to provide some services regardless of a recipient’s immigration status as a matter of public safety, citing communicable diseases.

“Most viruses don’t check for ID,” he said.

And Romanoff said Knoedler’s concerns about soup were simply off-base.

“It’s not the soup,” he said. “That’s nuts.”

Romanoff also pointed out his bill and not the ballot initiative Republicans were demanding had garnered the support of leaders from Defend Colorado Now and Keep Colorado Safe, groups on the opposite ends of the illegal immigration debate.

He said former Gov. Dick Lamm and former Denver Mayor Federico Peña supported the Georgia-like legislation his bill would institute.

Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, told the House that Romanoff’s bill was a vital piece of legislation that lawmakers could tweak after it was passed. He said the extent to which it restricts services could be revisited, but it was important to at least have something to build on.

“This is the most significant step the state has ever taken to insure we are not wasting taxpayer dollars,” Buescher said.

Romanoff’s bill will be heard in committee later today, which is the third day of the Legislature’s special session.


Mike Saccone can be reached via e-mail at msaccone@gjds.com.