12/03/2010
Talk is cheap in politics, and numerous state legislators have expressed interest in creating an Arizona-style bill to better enforce immigration laws.
In Florida, however, the proposed legislation, namely SB-136, is in the hopper.
Note also how Governor-elect Rick Scott campaigned strongly on immigration enforcement. Funny how little details like that are often overlooked by the dinosaur media.
State senator unveils Arizona-style immigration bill, Miami Herald, December 1, 2010Here’s the description on the bill from the Florida State Senate:TALLAHASSEE — The first crack at an Arizona-style immigration overhaul has been filed in the Florida Senate, with a proposal that would let law enforcement officers ask suspected illegal aliens to prove their immigration status and could penalize some legal immigrants who aren’t carrying proper documentation.
The bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, is the first volley in a likely long and heated debate over the future of immigration policy in the state. Since the passage of the Arizona law last spring, many Florida Republicans — including Gov.-elect Rick Scott — have argued that Florida needs a similar law and campaigned on the issue throughout the summer and into the fall.
“Any time you file a bill it’s basically opening up for dialogue, opening up for discussion, opening up for debate,” Bennett said.
Scott, in particular, made the Arizona law a major piece of his race for governor, frequently mentioning it at campaign stops and urging Floridians to follow his lead and make a donation to Arizona’s Border Security and Immigration Legal Defense Fund. Since his election in November, the incoming governor has been largely quiet on the subject and has not drawn up any specific proposals yet, but his spokesman said the governor maintains his position on the issue.
“I have no specifics right now on what an immigration bill would have to have, but his position is still if someone violates Florida laws, the police should ask if they are legal or not,” said Scott spokesman Trey Stapleton. “If they are in the state illegally they should be deported.”
Senate 0136: Relating to Enforcement of Immigration LawsS136 GENERAL BILL by Bennett
Enforcement of Immigration Laws; Prohibits the state or its political subdivisions from limiting or restricting the enforcement of immigration laws. Requires a law enforcement officer to request citizenship information under certain circumstances. Authorizes a law enforcement agency to transport an alien to a federal facility. Authorizes citizens to sue the state or a political subdivision of the state if the state or political subdivision is restricting the enforcement of federal immigration laws. Prohibits law enforcement officers from using race as a determining factor in an assessment under the act, etc. EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2011
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