Thread: Nashville - Council approves immigration bills on first vote

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... 6610180433

Wednesday, 10/18/06

Council approves immigration bills on first vote

By LEE ANN O'NEAL
Staff Writer


Two illegal immigration measures — one aimed at cracking down on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, a second aimed at punishing their employers — were tentatively approved Tuesday night by the Metro Council.

The bills would have to be approved twice more to pass into law, a process that would take at least weeks.

And on their own, they could not be enforced. The state legislature would have to pass a measure to allow for the landlords and employment bills before they could be enforced, a legal aide to the council, Jon Cooper, has said.

The measures stirred some debate.

"We're putting Band-Aids on major surgery," Councilman Jamie Isabel of Bordeaux said. Isabel said immigration issues should be dealt with by the federal government.

Isabel was one of three council members who voted against the employment bill but were outnumbered by 27 colleagues who voted to approve it.

The others voting against were council members Ronnie Greer of Woodland-in-Waverly and Emily Evans of Belle Meade.

Four members abstained, choosing not to vote, and five were absent.

Councilman Jim Gotto, sponsor of both bills, argued that the council should approve the measures on their first vote and send them to committees for "meaningful discussion." The council typically approves bills on their first vote, with ultimate decisions coming later in the process. •

Good for them. We are considering moving to TN, and this would be another reason to add to the list.