Thread: SC Senate challenges House for wider immigration protections

SC Senate challenges House for wider immigration protections
Columbia, SC, 04.22.2008
ASSOCIATED PRESS

South Carolina state Senate leaders are calling on the House to go along with their plans to require all employers to verify the immigration status of their workers.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell said Tuesday that there's no middle ground on the issue because the House only wants employers that do business with the state to check if their workers are in the United States legally. The Senate wants everyone checked.

Lawmakers are expected to continue discussing details of the legislation Tuesday afternoon.
http://www.wbt.com/news/details.cfm?article_id=36701

can anyone get us more info on this that is recent?

Looks like we may need to unleash the ALIPACers on the SC State House Tomorrow.

W

Dear Ms. Xxxxxx,

Thank you for expressing your view on the illegal immigration issue. It is important to me to know the issues that are important to you.

As to S 392, the illegal immigration bill, now in conference committee, may I clear up a few misunderstandings and explain a little of the bill.

The House and the Senate each passed their own version of a bill on the illegal immigration issue. The Senate has not taken up the House bill, but the House has taken up the Senate bill and amended the Senate version to be the same as the House version.

The Senate would not agree with the House amendment which is why S 392 is now in conference committee (a committee of three Representatives and three Senators), which is the procedure for ironing out the differences between the Senate bill and the House amendment. Contrary to information you must have been given, the SC House is not trying to stop the bill but has the toughest position on the bill. The SC Senate's position on this bill is so weak, in my opinion, that no bill would be as good or better. The I-9 Form that is being talked about is in neither the House or the Senate bill; therefore, would require authorization of "free conference" which is unlikely to happen.

I am in agreement with the House position, which includes E-verification of work status and penalties to employers who do not comply with properly verifying the employment status.

I hope this aids your understanding of this issue. If I may be future service please let me know.

Sincerely,
SC Rep. Glenn Hamilton
District 20

>>>>>>

I am writing because news reports say that the South Carolina House is trying to stop an immigration enforcement bill from requiring all SC businesses to verify they only hire Americans and legal immigrants.

I want you to support and pass the Immigration Reform Bill S 392 with language that requires ALL employers to hire only legal workers. We need legislation that will protect American workers and South Carolinians from lost jobs, wages, and taxes taken by illegal aliens.

Please pass a bill as soon as possible that will require ALL businesses in SC to use the E-Verify system and only hire legal workers. I will be watching the SC House closely on this matter.

The SC House should follow the lead of Georgia, Utah, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Arizona, Oregon, and Maine by passing effective immigration enforcement legislation at the state level.

Sincerely,
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Thanks xxxxxxxxxxx! I'll do what I can. Joe Jefferson


I am emailing because news reports say that the South Carolina house is
trying to stop an immigration enforcement bill from requiring all SC
businesses to verify they only hire Americans and legal immigrants.

I want you to tell the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce to stop
defending businesses that break the law and hire illegal aliens. We need
legislation that will protect American workers and South Carolinians from lost
jobs, wages, and taxes taken by illegal aliens.

Please pass a bill as soon as possible that will require ALL businesses in
SC to use the E-Verify system and only hire legal workers. I will be
watching the SC House closely on this matter.

The SC House should follow the lead of Georgia, Utah, Oklahoma, Rhode
Island, Arizona, Oregon, and Maine by passing effective immigration
enforcement legislation on the state level.

Sincerely,

my name

Joe Jefferson was the only one who sent a personal response, kudos to Mr. Jefferson!

Thank you for writing but I am afraid you are mis informed. The House conferees on the immigration bill have signed it and the Senate has not. We are prepared to make everyone E- Verify.

God Bless,

Representative Eric M. Bedingfield
South Carolina House District 28
Greenville County

All,

Since I live in SC I was compelled to call today and try to figure this thing out and get my voice heard.

First the bill has been sitting out there for well over a year, in a conference committee. The committee has 3 members of the house and 3 from the senate to work on and meet in the middle. The issue is the SC State Constitution; the senate can only take up items after they leave the house. The senators cannot vote on a bill they have not even reviewed except for 3 members. After the bill leave the conference committee it should have been brought to the house floor for a vote. The issue is that the speaker of the house refused to bring it to the floor and passed it to the senate for the 3 senators to sign it, against the states constitution.

So from what I am being told the house is stonewalling the bill at this time since it seems man of them should end up loosing there landscapers.

I did talk to state senators Richie's office, he is one of the sponsors of the bill, and he wants the house to vote on it so the senate can get to work. The one issue that the house has been attempting to do is to limit the bill to employers that have 100 employees or more and I was dead set against any type of split enforcement but was told that it he is for the all or none method but it will have a phase in period allowing for smaller companies to have longer to get everything in order.

Again I think a good portion of this from both sides are pointing fingers and nothing is getting done but the house needs to vote on it before being sent to the senate. If you want to e-mail 2 people e-mail the speaker of the house, Robert Harrell HSP@schouse.org and the judiciary chairman James Harrison HJU@schouse.org

Get the bill to the house floor for a vote as they have promised to do in press releases.

I hope this helps.

MGKLINE

Thomas C. Alexander [R]
Dist. No. 1 - Oconee & Pickens Cos.
(803) 212-6220

Larry A. Martin [R]
Dist. No. 2 - Pickens Co.
(803) 212-6340

Kevin L. Bryant [R]
Dist. No. 3 - Anderson Co.
(803) 212-6024

William H. O'Dell [R]
Dist. No. 4 - Abbeville, Anderson & Greenwood Cos.
(803) 212-6040

Lewis R. Vaughn [R]
Dist. No. 5 - Greenville Co.
(803) 212-6100

Michael L. Fair [R]
Dist. No. 6 - Greenville Co.
(803) 212-6420

Ralph Anderson [D]
Dist. No. 7 - Greenville Co.
(803) 212-6108

David L. Thomas [R]
Dist. No. 8 - Greenville Co.
(803) 212-6240

Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III [R]
Dist. No. 9 - Greenville & Laurens Cos.
(803) 212-6230

John W. Drummond [D]
Dist. No. 10 - Abbeville, Greenwood & Laurens Cos.
(803) 212-6455

Glenn G. Reese [D]
Dist. No. 11 - Spartanburg Co.
(803) 212-6108

John D. Hawkins [R]
Dist. No. 12 - Spartanburg Co.
(803) 212-6008

James H. "Jim" Ritchie, Jr. [R]
Dist. No. 13 - Greenville, Spartanburg & Union Cos.
(803) 212-6032

Harvey S. Peeler, Jr. [R]
Dist. No. 14 - Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union & York Cos.
(803) 212-6430

Robert W. Hayes, Jr. [R]
Dist. No. 15 - York Co.
(803) 212-6410

Chauncey K. Gregory [R]
Dist. No. 16 - Lancaster & York Cos.
(803) 212-6330

Linda H. Short (Mrs. Paul) [D]
Dist. No. 17 - Chester, Fairfield, Union & York Cos.
(803) 212-6148

Ronnie W. Cromer [R]
Dist. No. 18 - Lexington, Newberry & Saluda Cos.
(803) 212-6040

Kay Patterson [D]
Dist. No. 19 - Richland Co.
(803) 212-6048

John E. Courson [R]
Dist. No. 20 - Lexington & Richland Cos.
(803) 212-6250

Darrell Jackson [D]
Dist. No. 21 - Richland Co.
(803) 212-6048

Joel Lourie [D] (2004)
Dist. No. 22 - Kershaw & Richland Cos.
(803) 212-6116

John M. "Jake" Knotts, Jr. [R]
Dist. No. 23 - Lexington Co.
(803) 212-6350

W. Greg Ryberg [R]
Dist. No. 24 - Aiken Co.
(803) 212-6320

A. Shane Massey [R]
Dist. No. 25 - Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick & Saluda Cos.
(803) 212-6000

Nikki G. Setzler [D]
Dist. No. 26 - Aiken, Lexington & Saluda Cos.
(803) 212-6140

Vincent A. Sheheen [D]
Dist. No. 27 - Chesterfield, Kershaw & Lancaster Cos.
(803) 212-6124

Dick Elliott [D]
Dist. No. 28 - Dillon, Horry, Marion & Marlboro Cos.
(803) 212-6116

Gerald Malloy [D]
Dist. No. 29 - Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee & Marlboro Cos.
(803) 212-6148

Kent M. Williams [D]
Dist. No. 30 - Dillon, Florence, Marion & Marlboro Cos.
(803) 212-6008

Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. [R]
Dist. No. 31 - Darlington & Florence Cos.
(803) 212-6640

J. Yancey McGill [D]
Dist. No. 32 - Florence, Georgetown, Horry & Williamsburg Cos.
(803) 212-6132

Luke A. Rankin [R]
Dist. No. 33 - Horry Co.
(803) 212-6132

Raymond E. Cleary III [R]
Dist. No. 34 - Charleston, Georgetown & Horry Cos.
(803) 212-6100

Phil P. Leventis [D]
Dist. No. 35 - Lee & Sumter Cos.
(803) 212-6000

John C. Land III [D]
Dist. No. 36 - Calhoun, Clarendon, Florence & Sumter Cos.
(803) 212-6180

Lawrence K. "Larry" Grooms [R]
Dist. No. 37 - Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton & Dorchester Cos.
(803) 212-6400

Randy Scott [R]
Dist. No. 38 - Charleston & Dorchester Cos.
(803) 212-6024

John W. Matthews, Jr. [D]
Dist. No. 39 - Bamberg, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton & Orangeburg Cos.
(803) 212-6056

C. Bradley Hutto [D]
Dist. No. 40 - Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell & Orangeburg Cos.
(803) 212-6140

Glenn F. McConnell [R]
Dist. No. 41 - Charleston Co.
(803) 212-6610

Robert Ford [D]
Dist. No. 42 - Charleston Co.
(803) 212-6124

George E. "Chip" Campsen III [R]
Dist. No. 43 - Berkeley & Charleston Cos.
(803) 212-6016

Paul G. Campbell, Jr. [R]
Dist. No. 44 - Berkeley Co.
(803) 212-6016

Clementa C. Pinckney [D]
Dist. No. 45 - Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton & Jasper Cos.
(803) 212-6056

Catherine C. Ceips [R]
Dist. No. 46 - Beaufort Co.
(803) 212-6032

Originally Posted by mgkline

The issue is that the speaker of the house refused to bring it to the floor and passed it to the senate for the 3 senators to sign it, against the states constitution.

Then it sounds like Rep. Harrell is the go-to man.

Robert W. Harrell, Jr. [R], Speaker of the House
Dist. No. 114 - Charleston & Dorchester Cos.
(803) 734-3125
HSP@schouse.org

In 2007, the S.C. Legislature considered 17 immigration bills before sending each of them to committee to die.
They are unlikely to pass anything except during the month before the general election.

The main purpose of authority in South Carolina is to guarantee that nothing changes.

E-Mailed HSP@schouse.org Wed., April 23, 2008 1:32 PM along with the rest. So far no response.

Talley, Gullick, Bedingfield, and Roland Smith have responded to me, and they all support E-Verify.