Immigration bills aired in House and Senate
By JASON NOBLE

The Star’s Jefferson City correspondent

JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri lawmakers considered a raft of bills addressing illegal-immigration issues in committee hearings Wednesday.

The bills tackled a range of topics, from restrictions on public benefits and college admission to penalties for businesses employing illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigration is expected to be a top issue in the legislature this year, as lawmakers react to rising concern about the economic impact of illegal immigration and inaction by the federal government.

Sen. Scott Rupp, a Wentzville Republican, introduced the most comprehensive bill of the day, with sections restricting [b]illegal aliens from attending state colleges and universities; prohibiting cities from adopting “sanctuaryâ€