Posted: 02/25/2009 06:00:00 PM MST


Utah House Bill 107, which would authorize a study to determine the economic impact of undocumented residents in Utah, is a good bill gone bad.

As originally written by Rep. Stephen Clark, R-Provo, the measure would have wisely delayed the implementation of Senate Bill 81, anti-immigration legislation approved last year, until the study is completed.

But the version of HB107 that was sent to the Senate after being approved by a 56-13 vote in the House Wednesday would allow SB81 to take effect July 1 as planned, more than six months before the results of the study would be reported to the Legislature. It's a classic case of getting the cart ahead of the horse.

Do undocumented workers help or hurt Utah's economy? Do they pay more into the system in taxes and fees than they receive in state and local services? And what are the projections for 5, 10 and 25 years from now? Those are questions that need to be answered before SB81 takes effect, perhaps driving away hard-working individuals who make valuable contributions to our state. Lawmakers need to make decisions based on carefully researched facts instead of rushing headlong into the unknown, and perhaps making the troubled economy even worse.

And that's not the only reason to delay implementing these misguided, discriminatory laws. Provisions in SB81 include denying undocumented residents access to state and local programs that their tax dollars support, requiring public employers


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and government contractors to verify the residency status of all employees (although there's no foolproof system for doing so) and empowering local and state law enforcement officials to enforce federal immigration laws.

SB81 will cost a whopping $1.8 million to implement at a time when revenue is declining and state and municipal budgets are being cut.

Also, it is opposed by many members of law enforcement who believe it will break the bonds between police and immigrants, who would become reluctant to report crimes and cooperate with authorities if they feared deportation.

Lawmakers should set HB107 aside until next year and approve instead Senate Bill 113, which would delay SB81 until July of 2010. Then, Clark can reintroduce the immigration study bill, with a provision that SB81, and its $1.8 million price tag, be further delayed until the results are in.

The Legislature needs to take the time to get this right, and buy Congress and the Obama administration some time to pass comprehensive immigration reform.


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