Thread: So Carolina Lawmakers Compromise on Illegal Immigration Bill

wspa.com
May 28, 2008
South Carolina Lawmakers Compromise on Illegal
Immigration Bill

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 03:14 PM
By Robert Kittle

The House and Senate have finally reached an agreement on an illegal immigration reform bill, and Governor Mark Sanford has indicated he will sign it into law. It still needs official approval from both bodies, but lawmakers who’ve been working on a compromise say that’s just a formality at this point.

The sticking point for weeks has been how businesses would verify whether their workers are here legally. The House wanted businesses to use as an option E-Verify, a federal system for checking workers’ status online. But the Senate wanted to create a new state version of a form similar to the federal I-9 form. Senators have now agreed with using E-Verify.

The bill will create a 24-hour telephone hotline and website to report illegal immigrants. It will require all employers to verify their employees’ status by making sure they have a valid SC driver’s license, a license from another state that has the same eligibility requirements as SC, or through the E-Verify system.

Employers with 500 or more workers will have to start complying by January 1, 2009. Those with between 100 and 500 employees will have to comply by July 1, 2009. Smaller businesses will have to comply by January 1, 2010.

The bill will also require verification for anyone seeking public assistance and bar illegal immigrants from attending public colleges and universities. It also will allow a lawsuit against any company that fires a legal worker for the purpose of hiring an illegal one.

http://www.wspa.com/midatlantic/spa/new ... -0015.html

You know what compromise im used to hearing.

Yeah well pass the law but well see if we can enforce it!

If we can finally get this law passed it will be one of the strongest in the nation!

W

Hope there's no last minute snafus. Here's what Sanford released yesterday after the state Senate adopted it:
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Governor Sanford Thanks Senate for Strong Immigration Bill
GOVERNOR SAYS SENATE BILL PROVIDES FOR
STRONG EMPLOYER VERIFICATION RULES
Columbia, S.C. - May 27, 2008 - Governor Mark Sanford today issued the following statement on the immigration reform plan adopted by the Senate today:

"There'ss been a lot of back and forth on this bill over the past few weeks, but we believe the end result that the Senate approved today is what everyone was after the whole time - a strong an enforceable immigration bill," Gov. Sanford said. "We'd also thank the Senate for giving our office time to review and give feedback on this version of the bill, because we think that process of give and take has ultimately resulted in a good bill. We believe that to have offered an alternative to e-verify like a state version of the I-9 would have guaranteed that e-verify wouldn't have been used - and to that end, we're pleased the Senate ultimately agreed to remove those troubling provisions. We'd give particular to Senators Campsen, Martin, McConnell and Ritchie for their hard work on this bill, and are looking forward to it coming to our desk as soon as possible."

http://www.scgovernor.com/news/releases ... -27-08.htm

Senate Gives Final Approval to Immigration Reform Bill
Filed Under Caucus, McConnell, Ritchie, Top News

Columbia, SC - The Senate today gave final approval to the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act (H.4400). The bill, which now goes to the House of Representatives, is the most comprehensive immigration reform bill in the country. The legislation addresses the major issues in the fight for illegal immigration reform, including employer verification for all employers through the federal E-verify system or with a valid SC driver’s license.

“Today the Senate passed the most effective reform bill in the nation. It has a strong E-verify requirement and very aggressive penalties for those who knowing hire illegal aliens,â€

Originally Posted by 93camaro

You know what compromise im used to hearing.

Yeah well pass the law but well see if we can enforce it!

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This is the crux of the matter. If this bill is signed into law by our Governor then our politicans are going to try to ignore it for as long and as much as they can. To make it work We The People have got to hold their feet to the fire. And this might not be the toughest bill in the nation but we beat the SC Chamber of Commerce and had a bunch of our politicians running for cover. Senator Ritchie is currently behind in the race for his seat because of trying to stab us in the backs.

Next year we are going to push for even tougher laws to be enacted. I think that we woke them up to our anger for a change.