The INDIANAPOLIS Star
INDIANA -- House Republicans staged a Statehouse walkout Thursday night to protest an effort by Democrats to prevent changes to an illegal-immigration bill.
The GOP boycott began shortly after 8 p.m. when Republicans refused to return to the House chamber after meeting behind closed doors on the issue for more than two hours.
The feuding centered on Senate Bill 335, which would punish employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
The House Public Policy Committee approved the bill Monday after amending the legislation, authored by Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel.
Some Republicans said Thursday they wanted to further amend and strengthen the bill by including provisions that would prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving state financial assistance for employment, college tuition and housing.
They did not, however, get that opportunity when House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, decided not to call the bill's committee reports by Thursday's deadline, thus killing SB 335.
Posted by tyne at February 22, 2008