Illegal Immigration Hearing Draws Spectators, Few Senators

Wednesday, Mar 05, 2008 - 06:47 PM


By Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- A public hearing on a bill to crack down on illegal immigration has drawn an overflow crowd to the Alabama statehouse. But most of the senators who were supposed to listen to the comments skipped the meeting.

More than 150 people squeezed into a public hearing by the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability Committee on Thursday. But only six committee members attended all or part of the meeting. Committee Chairman Ted Little of Auburn said that was too few to vote on the bill by Sen. Scott Beason of Gardendale.

Huntsville talk show host Dale Jackson called the lack of attendance "a disgrace." Jackson organized a rally of supporters on the Statehouse steps about an hour before the public hearing began.
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