Thread: IN: Immigration bill set for vote in House

Clearing the final hurdles
IN: Immigration bill set for vote in House
Much of original proposal's language inserted into other legislation as lawmakers return after walkout
By Dan McFeely
dan.mcfeely@indystar.com
February 26, 2008

After weeks of debate, behind-the-scenes maneuvering and a legislative walkout, the proposed crackdown on businesses that hire illegal immigrants finally will get a vote in the House this week.

The Indiana House of Representatives is expected to vote by Wednesday on a Senate bill that contains most of the language of the original illegal immigration bill passed by the Senate in January.

That legislation, Senate Bill 335, died last week when Democrats decided not to consider changes pushed by Republicans, who wanted the bill to deny benefits to illegal immigrants.

In response, Democrats, who control the chamber 51-49, inserted much of the original proposal into SB 345, a separate piece of legislation dealing with unemployment insurance. Lawmakers approved that move Monday by a voice vote after the House reconvened from a recess ordered Thursday -- a recess prompted by a walkout by Republicans over their inability to offer changes to the bill.

Rep. Vern Tincher, D-Riley, predicted the bill will pass -- this is the week for Senate legislation to pass the House and vice versa -- and will move on to a conference committee, where members of the House and Senate would work out their differences on the legislation.

"I think we are going to be in conference committee with (this)," said Tincher, who has sponsored the immigration proposal in the House. "The speaker (B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend) is committed to moving this policy through the General Assembly and sending it to the governor."
Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, author of the original SB 335, said he was encouraged by the House action.

"We are so close, but we still have a few hurdles to get over," Delph said. "I think it's time for Republicans and Democrats to come together for the sake of passing a strong bill."

He also raised the possibility of the Senate amending his original language into a House bill on Tuesday as a way to influence the House.
Delph met in a closed-door session with Tincher and Bauer early Monday morning. Tincher said Delph asked Bauer to suspend the rules and bring his original bill back to life, but Bauer refused.

The immigration measure as it stands in the House gives businesses three "strikes" before they could lose their license for employing illegal immigrants and sets up a system for state and local police to enforce federal immigration laws.

Two key changes, however, were made: Language was removed that would have made it illegal to harbor, transport or conceal an illegal immigrant; and the Indiana State Police would be compelled to enter into an enforcement agreement with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. That was a reversal of an earlier change that had given State Police the option of doing so.

House Republicans wanted to amend the bill to include provisions that would deny social services and education grants to illegal residents. Such language -- targeting individuals rather than businesses -- was similar to a bill that was defeated 74-19 two years ago in the House.

Supporters of Delph's bill, along with Bauer, said the last-minute attempt by Republicans was simply a way of trying to kill the bill, which is opposed by business interests and Hispanic leaders.

In a prepared statement Friday, Bauer called the Republican amendments a "mean-spirited attempt to punish innocent children by, among other things, depriving them of medical assistance in time of need."
On Monday, Rep. P. Eric Turner, R-Marion, explained his reasons for wanting to change the bill.

"I believed in 2006 that illegal immigrants should not receive state benefits and in-state tuition, among other things," Turner said. "I believed it in 2007. And I believe it in 2008. And I think the public in Indiana believes the same way. And that's the reason why I offered the report and I attempted to offer the amendment to Senate Bill 345."

Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, the chairman of the House committee that approved Delph's bill, said his panel purposely left out those kinds of provisions in hopes that it would gather enough support to pass.

Illustrating his point during remarks made Monday, Van Haaften read a long list of House Republicans who had voted against such language two years ago.

The immigration legislation advanced on a day that once again boiled over in political fighting.

The House resumed business when Republicans returned to the chamber after the boycott Thursday night. But Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, immediately filed a protest to Bauer's decision not to hear the amendments to the immigration measure.

The procedural dispute rankled Republicans, who accused Bauer of not following protocols.

Bauer ruled that the House recessed Thursday night instead of adjourning, meaning the chamber's business Monday morning would pick up where it was left off last week. Republicans argued the House should have been adjourned, so lawmakers could have the opportunity to offer amendments to the immigration proposal.

Bosma called Bauer's decision "truly an embarrassment to this institution."
Majority Floor Leader Russ Stilwell, D-Boonville, argued the decision was forced by the Republicans' walkout and that Bauer acted within the body's rules. Bosma said he filed a protest so the historical record would show Republicans objected to Bauer's interpretation of the House rules.
"I consider this to be a dark day for this institution," Bosma said.
Meanwhile, the author of SB 345, Rep. David L. Niezgodski, D-South Bend, said he was not sure what impact inserting the illegal immigration proposal into his bill would have.

"I can't really say if it hurts it or makes it better," Niezgodski said. "It's an enormous issue, an issue that I think is vitally important, and we have to address it in a fair manner but also in a manner that does the right thing."
The bill requires the state work force development agency to match businesses' bank account records with their taxpayer identification number. The move is aimed at helping the state collect unpaid unemployment insurance payments.

Call Star reporter Dan McFeely at (317) 444-6253.
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /802260381

Why does every newspaper call these State bills "immigration bills"? They have nothing to do with immigration since that is a legal process for foreigners that only Congress has jurisdiction over.

What these bills deal with is foreign intruders. They should be called foreign intruder bills. The intent of the bills is to get illegal aliens to leave. Since immigrants even by the dictionary definition "permanently settle" in the USA, the illegals in these states are not immigrants of any type, even illegal ones. We need to hammer the press over their blatant propoganda.