Bill #

Issue

Sponsor

Description

Position

HB 1317

Immigration

Davis

Requires election authorities to verify U.S. citizenship of all voter registration applicants.

Support: Voting is a right of citizenship. The legislation should be implemented in such a way as to avoid any racial or ethnic profiling. 01/18/08

HB 1381

Immigration

Kraus

Prohibits the employment of an unauthorized alien in Missouri.

Oppose: Legislation unfairly penalizes businesses which have no sure way of identifying the legal status of prospective employees. The federal status verification system is new and error prone. 01/18/08

HB 1395

Immigration

Dusenberg

Prohibits local sanctuary policies for illegal aliens.

Oppose: Missouri currently has no sanctuary cities. Legislation addresses a non-problem and in so doing creates a problem by sowing division among ethnic groups. 01/18/08

HB 1420

Immigration

St. Onge

Requires commercial driver's license tests to be given in the English language.

Oppose: Commercial Driver's License tests are customarily given in English already. Legislation solves no problem but creates one in sowing division among ethnic groups. 01/18/08

HB 1434

Immigration

Wildberger

Requires individuals or businesses that have been convicted of knowingly accepting any state-administered or subsidized tax credit or abatement or loan while employing illegal aliens to make restitution.

Oppose: Legislation could undermine efforts of charitable organizations seeking to provide humanitarian assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. 01/18/08

HB 1463

Immigration

Nolte

Prohibits the admission of unlawfully present aliens to public institutions of higher education.

Oppose: Children brought into this country by their parents or other adults who have lived in our state for many years should not be denied admission to college because of their lack of legal status. Our laws should recognize the circumstances and humanity of people, not ignore them. 01/18/08

HB 1626

Immigration

Emery

Prohibits illegal aliens from receiving public assistance benefits.

Oppose: People in need should not be denied basic humanitarian assistance because of a lack of legal status. Legislation will undermine ability of churches and not-for-profit organizations to provide assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. 01/18/08

HB 1655

Immigration

Nance

Requires applicants for public benefits to prove citizenship, permanent residence, or lawful presence to be eligible for such benefits.

Oppose: People in need should not be denied basis humanitarian assistance because they lack legal status. The legislation will undermine the ability of churches and not-for-profit organizations to provide assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. 01/18/08

HB 1736

Immigration

Schneider

Establishes the Missouri Illegal Immigration Relief Act.

Oppose: Legislation will place undue burden on churches and other charitable organizations seeking to provide humanitarian assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. Legislation could also criminalize humanitarian assistance provided by churches and charitable organizations. 01/18/08

SB 750

Immigration

Crowell

Denies issuance of driver's licenses to illegal alien's.

Oppose: Public safety is better served by ensuring drivers have passed driver safety tests. 01/18/08

SB 751

Immigration

Crowell

Requires applicants to prove citizenship, permanent residence, or lawful presence in order to receive state or local public benefits.

Oppose: People in need should not be denied basic assistance due to a lack of citizenship. Legislation will undermine efforts of churches and charitable organizations seeking to provide humanitarian assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. 01/18/08

SB 858

Immigration

Rupp

Modifies the law relating to illegal immigrants.

Oppose: Legislation will undermine efforts of churches and charitable organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to immigrants, both legal and undocumented. Children who have been brought into the U.S. at a young age and lived most of their lives in Missouri should be eligible to attend public universities in Missouri. Legislation unfairly penalizes businesses that unknowingly hire illegal immigrants; the federal status verification system is new and error prone. 01/18/08

HB 1953

Life Ethics

Lembke

Makes it a crime to create mixed human-animal individuals.

Support: Legislation seeks to protect the sanctity and dignity of human life.