Illegal immigration bill falters
By John Lyon
The Arkansas News Bureau, March 11, 2009
http://arkansasnews.com/2009/03/11/illegal-immigration-bill-falters/ Little Rock -- A bill to allow the state Contractors Licensing Board to penalize contractors who knowingly hire illegal immigrants failed in a House committee Wednesday after the board’s administrator testified against the bill.
House Bill 1383 by Rep. Jim Nickels, D-Sherwood, failed in the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Members [cast] nine votes for the measure and 10 votes against it.
The bill would authorize the Contractors Licensing Board to penalize a contractor who knowingly employs illegal immigrants by revoking or suspending the contractor’s license or imposing a fine of not more than $200 for each day the violation continues.
A contractor who uses the E-verify system to verify the legal status of employees could not be penalized under the bill.
Nickels told the committee contractors would not be held responsible for the employment decisions of sub-contractors.
'I’m holding the person who does the hiring responsible,' he said.
Greg Crow, administrator of the Contractors Licensing Board, testified that the board already has the power to take action against contractors who violate laws. He said the board does not want to take on the role of a law enforcement agency.
'My investigators are not trained to do this. There is a federal agency that handles these things,' he said.
Don Culpepper, president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas, said the bill unfairly singles out contractors and excludes other employers who may hire illegal immigrants.
Rep. Andrea Lea, R-Russellville, asked if Culpepper had heard of any contractors losing jobs to competitors who hire illegal immigrants.
'I do hear concerns about that, yes ma’am,' Culpepper said.
Contractor Paul Covert testified that the bill is particularly needed as Arkansas prepares to spend federal stimulus money.
'There’s a lot of money about to be thrown at building roads and bridges and schools and public buildings,' Covert said. 'We should be very careful that that money is not being wire-transferred out of the country, because we’re giving away the store if we don’t take some proactive steps.'
Nickels said later he was disappointed with the vote.
'I’m disappointed that the committee, at least the majority of the committee, did not see that this was a big enough problem for them to address,' he said.
http://arkansasnews.com/2009/03/11/illegal-immigration-bill-falters/
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