Thread: Utah Senate passes controversial immigration bill

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Utah lawmakers are doing what Washington isn't; taking action on illegal immigration. A vote in the state senate Monday would make it tougher for illegals to get jobs and find places to live in Utah. It’s been a long-standing debate between economics, the rule of law, and basic human rights.

The sponsor of SB81, Sen. Bill Hickman, makes a final argument in favor of the measure on the Senate floor before the vote, “Had the federal congress taken this up as they should have we wouldn't be here today.â€

24 to 5! That is awsome, I think that is enough to override a VETO from the Governor.

W

Terrific....happy for you Utah folks.

Great job.

Way to go Utah!!! A vote of 24 - 5.....with numbers like that I think that a pretty clear message is being sent and that message is that illegal aliens are not as important and necessary to this country as some would contend.

Wow, to be perfectly honest, I'm a bit surprised. But, that is a good thing!

Congrats to the folks in UT

Good for Utah.

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After delayed implementation, omnibus immigration bill passes Senate
By Deborah Bulkeley
Deseret Morning News
Published: February 25, 2008
An omnibus immigration bill passed a major legislative hurdle today when it received final approval in the Senate.
SB81 moves to the House after a 24-5 vote in the Senate and a series of amendments. One key amendment presented today delays its effective date by a year to July 1, 2009.

"Had the federal Congress taken this issue up the way they properly should have, we would not be here today," Hickman told senators before the vote. "They have failed miserably ... I cannot tell you how much disgust I have at their inability to address this issue."

Following the vote, Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, called the bill as passed, a "landmark piece of legislation."

While the Senate prepared to debate the issue, about 50 people engaged in a silent protest in the Capitol Rotunda.

Also on Monday, the Senate gave final approval to:

• SCR5, a resolution calling on Congress to address illegal immigration. Now moves to the House.

• SB97, which creates a legislative task force to study illegal immigration. Now moves to the House.

• HB262, which calls for a legislative study of available federal remedies for the costs of illegal immigration to the state. Now moves to the governor.

SB81 at a glance

• As Approved by the Senate on Monday, the bill will take effect July 1, 2009

• Requires jail officials to make a "reasonable effort" to determine the citizenship and legal status of suspects charged with felonies or drunk driving and notify the Department of Homeland Security if status can't be determined.

• Creates a "rebuttable presumption" that illegal presence is a flight risk.

• Prevents undocumented immigrants from obtaining restaurant or private club liquor licenses.

• Makes citizenship, permanent residency or other legal status, with a few exceptions, a requirement for identification documents by government agencies. Educational institutions are exempt.

• Requires public employers to use federal E-Verify program to check the legal status of new hires.

• Contractors would have to use E-Verify to contract with the public employers.

• Makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident employee

and replace the employee with, or have the employee's duties assumed by an undocumented immigrant.

• Requires verification of legal status of applicants age 18 or older who apply for public benefits that aren't required federally to be provided. Exemptions include health care — except organ transplants, short-term, noncash, in-kind emergency disaster relief, public health assistance for immunizations, testing and treating of communicable diseases, and programs such as soup kitchens that deliver community level services needed for the protection of life or safety.

• Applicants for public benefits must certify their eligibility with documentations such as a birth certificate or tribal document. A false application would be cause for criminal charges and a false claim of U.S. citizenship would be reported to the Attorney General's Office.

• State agencies or departments that provide public benefits would need to provide annual report to the governor, Senate president and House speaker, on its compliance and ensure it is not denying benefits to legal residents.

• Subject to availability of funding, the attorney general establishes a Fraudulent Documents Identification Unit to target the sale and distribution of fraudulent documents.

• Requires the attorney general to enter into a agreement with Department of Homeland Security for "enforcement of federal immigration and customs laws" by some state and local law enforcement personnel. It prevents local governments from prohibiting such an agreement

• Prevents local governments from passing ordinances or policies that limit or prevent law officers or public employees from cooperating with federal officials regarding an individual's immigration status.

• Creates a Class A misdemeanor for transporting, concealing or harboring an undocumented immigrant "knowing or in reckless disregard" of their status for commercial advantage or private financial gain, with the intent to violate federal immigration law.

• Exempts charitable or humanitarian assistance, such as medical care, housing, victim assistance, religious services and sacraments, and transportation, if that assistance is provided, by a charitable, educational, or religious organization or its employees, agents, or volunteers using private funds. Also Exempts religious organizations or members to allow aliens acts as ministers or missionaries as volunteers, if they've been a member of that religious organization for at least a year.

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,695256274,00.html