Kansas House panel fails to revive immigration bill

Kansas House panel fails to revive immigration bill
March 21, 2011

By The Associated Press
Topeka — A Kansas House committee has failed to revive a bill that would require police to check the immigration status of people they suspect of being in the country illegally.

Chairman Lance Kinzer had hoped the House Judiciary Committee would reconsider an earlier decision to table the bill indefinitely. The Olathe Republican is pushing the measure.

But the Judiciary Committee had its last scheduled meeting of the year Friday without a move to take the bill off the table. However, the bill remains alive.

Kinzer's policing proposal is similar to an Arizona law enacted last year. The bill also would require state agencies and contractors to check the status of their employees with the federal E-Verify program.

The measure has drawn strong opposition from business groups and immigrant rights advocates.

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