Thread: IN: General Assembly adjourns without passing illegal worker

General Assembly adjourns without passing illegal worker bill

By DEANNA MARTIN | Friday, March 14, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - The General Assembly adjourned Friday without passing a contentious bill that would have cracked down on companies that hire illegal immigrants.

Lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Senate and Democrat-led House could not agree on the proposal before the Friday deadline for the session to end. But the proposal's sponsor, Republican Sen. Mike Delph of Carmel, said he would push for similar legislation in the future because it is a real problem that needs real action.

"I'll be back," Delph said Friday.

Both the House and Senate passed versions of Delph's proposal. Both versions would create a three-tier punishment system for companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants after 2009. After three incidents, companies could have their business licenses suspended or revoked. The House version included money for enforcement and changed the way the bill would be enforced.

The bill was sent to a House-Senate conference committee, which could have negotiated a compromise. Rep. Scott Pelath, a Michigan City Democrat who was one of the conference committee members, said that the Senate should simply agree with the House version rather than try to strike a new compromise.

But Senate leaders said there were issues between the two versions that needed to be resolved.

Sen. Tom Weatherwax, who chaired the conference committee, said lawmakers did not have time to hash out an agreement before the session ended Friday. Weatherwax, R-Logansport, suggested sending the issue to a study summer committee, but Delph said that would be just a year of delay.

Bill supporters say most Hoosiers want something done on illegal immigration because the federal government is not acting on it.

Several business organizations oppose the bill, saying Indiana's economy could suffer if the proposal passes, hurting both illegal workers and American citizens.

About 55,000 to 85,000 unauthorized immigrants live in Indiana, according to 2006 estimates from the PEW Hispanic Center.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)

http://nwi.com/articles/2008/03/14//ap- ... df92o2.txt

We did our best folks and we fought like hell for this bill.

Rep. Scott Pelath was the main hold up. He was the one that refused to sign the compromise and let the process work.

W

Crap , , This needed to pass before the spring break . I've got a feeling as a American i need to write to Rep.Pelath and make him tear-up for Old Glory.
thanks for that name William

Added to Home Page
http://www.alipac.us/article3034.html

The biggest lobbyists against this bill were the Hispanic associations (no surprise) and the Restaurant & Hospitality Association of Indiana. I have written the following letter to all of the local restaurants in my city who are members. I would encourage everyone in Indiana to do the same. For those outside the state, visit their website, find the national chains, and write them an email or letter protesting their lobbying to encourage the breaking of FEDERAL laws.

[quote]As you know, the will of over 70% of the residents in the State of Indiana was ignored recently by our State Assembly. The largest Lobbyist against the people was the Restaurant & Hospitality Association of Indiana. When special interests become more powerful than the people, we have lost our voice in Government. Your membership dues are going towards actively breaking Federal Laws:


Federal immigration law prohibits hiring, recruiting, referring for a fee, or continuing to employ any person unauthorized to work in the United States. There are potential civil and criminal penalties for hiring undocumented workers. Penalties could apply to the individual (meaning the business owner, the hiring manager, the supervisor) and are severe:

· $250-$2,000 fine for each unauthorized individual;

· $2,000-$5,000 for each employee if the employer previously been in violation; or

· $3,000-$10,000 for each individual if the employer was subject to more than one cease and desist order.

Fines up to $1,000 for each individual “paperworkâ€

I called all three in Indiana and told that their names were all over the internet and that since their person, held up the vote, could they promise me that when their state is inundated with illegal immigrants, that they would not request Federal Funding as California does. The person answering one of the three phonecalls is on our side. Keep up the calls and remember some of the people answering the calls are not on the side of the person they work for.

This man's name was on a Action Alert send to me . The Action alert was wrong as i learned . This letter is ftom Scott Pelath . Now i must write a man who is on our side and tell him what a jerk i am

Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, someone has misinformed you, either intentionally or unintentionally.



I voted in favor of the House-passed version of SB 345. It contained strong language to crack down on the employers of illegal labor. More importantly, it contained dollars to help our state enforce the new law.



At the end of the session, some wanted me to agree to a final version of SB 345 that contained no money for enforcement -- in other words, a toothless tiger. I would not submit to such a change, and I insisted that the Senate simply agree with the House's version of the bill. Had they done so, we would have had immigration reform in Indiana.



Thank you for your attention to this matter.



-Scott Pelath

I'll ready the mayo and baloney with lettuce at the supermarket in prep for sandwiches the next time I drive across Indiana. No restaraunts there for me.

Their cowards!!! Idaho is cowards also when it comes to going after emplyees...We need to throw these guys out of office, until we clean house they are not going to listen'

We tried and worked so hard but we know as much as we would like to we will not win them all.

Our they out of session for the year? or just spring break?