Thread: GA: Senate Panel OKs Immigration Bill

Senate panel OKs immigration bill

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
March 31, 2011
By Jeremy Redmon

Measure advances with major revisions, goes to floor for consideration.

Arizona-style legislation targeting illegal immigration in Georgia moved a step closer to becoming law Wednesday when it won the endorsement of a key Senate panel.

By a vote of 5-4, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved House Bill 87, but with some substantial revisions.

Among other things, the committee deleted a provision that would empower Georgia residents to sue state or local government officials who fail to enforce state laws targeting illegal immigration.

Other revisions relate to requirements for certain businesses to confirm their employees are eligible to work in the U.S.

The committee added a provision that says employers would not be eligible for certain state income tax breaks unless they use a federal work authorization program called E-Verify.

The bill now goes to the Senate floor for consideration.

Georgia's House passed a similar measure this month.

Because the Senate version is different, it must get approval from both chambers before it goes to the governor's desk and becomes law.

Like a tough new law enacted in Arizona last year, HB 87 will empower police to question certain suspects about their immigration status.

It also penalizes certain people who harbor or transport illegal immigrants.

Critics of HB 87 accused the Senate committee of quickly acting on the legislation Wednesday without notifying the public in advance.

The bill was not listed on the committee agenda that was posted on the state Legislature's website Wednesday.

Committee Chairman Bill Hamrick, R-Carrollton, issued a prepared statement Wednesday, saying his panel had "held numerous meetings on this issue, ensuring the familiarity of our members with these proposals."

"Illegal immigration is a very costly crisis that places severe undue burden on Georgia families," he said. "We have worked diligently for the past year to produce comprehensive, economical and enforceable reform of our immigration system."

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Little by little the politicians are waking up to the crys of the people. Not the illegals but the LEGAL Americans who are demanding that illegals be pressured, arrested, and deported.

come on congress wake the hell up do your job back the Amnerican
up you work for us .& Obama also work for us . & he is not doing a good job at all & you all know this . what are you worry about
stand up to Obama . this is our country & your also. I see how much the illegal immigrant get from welfar . it not fair . & the American
get s/// .so wake the hell up
No Amnesty

Among other things, the committee deleted a provision that would empower Georgia residents to sue state or local government officials who fail to enforce state laws targeting illegal immigration.

Citizens should sue to cease States and local Government from using tax payer’s money to support and educate undocumented aliens, because illegal aliens are not legal residents of the United States, and are not entitle to collect State and Government benefits the same as legal citizens. No one invited or legally transported undocumented aliens to this Country; they entered unlawfully and should not be rewarded for such illegal activities.

Unemployed citizens in each State should also begin to sue employers for employing illegal immigrants, which will be based on work place discrimination, if they have applied for an employment position and were not employed by an employer who knowingly hires undocumented aliens. This action will allow ICE to collect more information about employers hiring undocumented aliens as well.

Georgia and Arizona are taking the lead to eliminate the illegal immigration problem, which is sending this Country to rock bottom. I praise and am happy for those States!

Georgia already has some laws in effect.
i think they started back some time around 07

Georgia Senate Panel Approves House Immigration Bill

Updated: Thursday, 31 Mar 2011, 11:31 AM MDT
Published : Thursday, 31 Mar 2011, 11:18 AM MDT

By KATE BRUMBACK
Associated Press

ATLANTA - A Georgia Senate committee on Wednesday approved an altered version of a House bill that aims to crack down on illegal immigration but kept intact many provisions similar to those in a tough law enacted last year in Arizona.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill sponsored by Rep. Matt Ramsey, R-Peachtree City, but the version that cleared the panel is a hybrid of Ramsey's bill and a similar measure sponsored by Sen. Jack Murphy, R-Cumming. A House committee on Monday had gutted Murphy's bill and substituted the text of Ramsey's bill.

The version of Ramsey's bill that was approved by the Senate committee still would authorize law-enforcement officers to check the immigration status of certain criminal suspects and penalize people who transport or harbor illegal immigrants, provisions also in Arizona's law. The new version also retains language that would require employers with more than four workers to verify the immigration status of new hires using a federal database called E-Verify. It also would make it a felony to "willfully and fraudulently" present false documentation when applying for a job.

The new version does not include a section that would have allowed individual citizens to sue local governments and agencies that don't use federal databases to check the legal status of new hires and people who apply for public benefits. Instead it would allow any registered Georgia voter to file a complaint with the attorney general if non-compliance with those state laws is suspected. The attorney general's office would then be authorized to investigate such a complaint and levy a fine.

The version of Ramsey's bill that was approved by the Senate committee also includes language from Murphy's bill regarding the verification requirements for contractors and subcontractors and adds language that says employers can't exempt the wages of employees on their state income tax returns unless they use E-Verify.

Ramsey said Wednesday afternoon he had not seen the new committee version of his bill but that he wasn't surprised there were changes, that it's all part of the process of getting a comprehensive immigration law passed.

"We're keeping the process moving," he said. "We're committed to getting a bill through."

Ramsey's bill was not originally on the committee's agenda for Wednesday but was added at the last minute. Some opponents of the bill decried what they called a lack of transparency.

"Obviously they're trying to hide something if they're trying to sneak it through, which is shameful," said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials. "It's still an ugly bill. It's an Arizona-style bill."

Sen. Bill Hamrick, R-Carrollton and the Judiciary Committee chairman, said in a statement that the committee has held numerous meetings on the issue and that Wednesday's committee action represents a positive step forward.

"Illegal immigration is a costly crisis that places an undue burden on Georgia families," he said. "We have worked diligently for the past year to produce comprehensive, economical and enforceable reform of our immigration system."

The House and Senate bills now move to the rules committees in the opposite chambers of the Legislature to determine if and when they will come up for full chamber votes. Murphy and Ramsey have both said a joint committee will likely be convened to develop a final product that can make it through both chambers.

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