http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /803140451
March 14, 2008
Immigration bill appears dead
By Dan McFeely
dan.mcfeely@indystar.com
March 14, 2008
Indiana is unlikely to begin cracking down on businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants anytime soon.
Lawmakers apparently killed a proposal to do just that late Thursday night after a legislative conference committee could not agree on a final version of a bill that would have yanked the license of offending employers.
Business and manufacturing lobbyists were all smiles and handshakes afterward, but declined to comment until the session ends today.
Hispanic leaders were jubilant.
"My phone has been ringing off the hook," said Mary Jane Gonzalez, the president of the Indiana State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "Our community has been celebrating because our voice had an influence."
A late-night attempt by bill author Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, to resurrect the legislation with another compromise failed when conference committee member Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, refused to sign the deal.
"We put together a good bill and all they have to do is consent to it," said Pelath, referring to a House version of the legislation.
The immigration bill's apparent defeat came after months of debate. And it left Delph bitter.
"I'm a guest in the circus," said Delph. "It's corruption. And you can quote me on that."
Even after watching his bill collapse in the committee, Delph kept working behind closed doors to put together a proposal that would have restored most of his original bill without $1.5 million in funding he initially called for -- a sticking point for some other lawmakers.
But with the hours ticking down, Delph said key legislators killed his bill.
"I think this has been a well-orchestrated effort, bipartisanly from both leaderships, to try to kill the bill," said Delph. "Unfortunately, the will of the people is losing now and it's a shame."
The chairman of the conference committee did not see it that way.
"It is a big disappointment," said Sen. Tom Weatherwax, R-Logansport.
Weatherwax said his biggest questions centered on what he called constitutional issues of the state going beyond federal law. "I wanted a real strong bill," Weatherwax said. Thursday began with an optimistic note for supporters of illegal immigration reform.
House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend finally appointed members to serve on the conference committee.
Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, offered a new version of the proposal that gutted the proposed penalties on employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Asked why he had gutted Delph's proposal to revoke business licenses -- a measure that Kruse had voted for twice -- Kruse said he was listening to voices of many with concerns.
"I am not totally against it, but down here at the end, I think a lot of questions have been raised by a lot of people," said Kruse. "I just don't think that big of a penalty should be rushed into."
Delph had offered a compromise that included changes proposed by the House, including the use of administrative law judges, rather than prosecutors and county courts, to administer justice with a final veto given to the governor.
His compromise also added a "Good Samaritan clause" to a section making it illegal to conceal or harbor illegal immigrants, making that effective only for those doing so for a profit.
Gonzalez said central Indiana Hispanics learned a valuable lesson during the debate.
"We will be better prepared next time. These things are going to keep coming up year after year."