Indiana's immigration laws on tap for further studyBY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com317.637.9078 | Thursday, May 22, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS | State lawmakers created a special committee Thursday that will spent the next five months examining the politically charged issue of illegal immigration.
Efforts to created a three-tiered punishment system for Indiana companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants fizzled in the final days of this year's legislative session, which ended in March.
Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said the new Interim Committee on Immigration Issues will bring a fresh set of facts to a debate sure to resume when the full General Assembly reconvenes in January.
"I think it's real important that we get to understand some of the basic costs associated with this issue," Long said. "Obviously, that would include education in our schools, try to understand exactly what the impact is of the illegal immigrants here. The issue of Medicaid and health care if very large as well. And I think public safety and crime: Is there increase or not? Do we know?"
The Legislative Council, an oversight panel led by Long and House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, authorized the formation of nearly two dozen other summer study committees on Thursday.
One panel will examine funding woes that have plagued adult education programs in Portage and other school districts. Another committee will weigh funding proposals for the $1 billion plan to extend South Shore commuter rail lines to Lowell and Valparaiso.
Legislative leaders will appoint lawmakers to various panels in the coming weeks. The committees must make recommendations to full Legislature by Nov. 1, though the immigration panel was given an extra month to complete its work.
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