Politics & Government
Donnelly's California Immigration Reform Bills Fail in Committee Votes
Sierra Madre's representative to the California State Assembly had been pushing for legislation similar to that of Arizona's recent, controversial immigration bill.
Two bills proposed by 59th District Assemblyman Tim Donnelly that would have imposed measures similar to that of Arizona's recently passed controversial immigration bill failed to pass the State Assembly's Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks), whose distrct includes Sierra Madre, was the author of two immigration bills handled by the committee Tuesday morning, both of which were voted down.
Donnelly's AB26, which received only 3 of 10 possible votes, with one abstention,
In an effort to enforce the prohibition of the employment of undocumented workers, the language of the bill would have required the State Attorney General to ready a complaint form "by which any person wishing to do so may allege a violation" and would have required ensuing investigation by either the state or appropriate district attorney.
Donnelly's other bill, AB1018, would have required government officials to verify legal immigration status of any person requesting state benefits using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.
Additionally, the 16-line bill would have imposed penalties on any government worker who "knowingly gives out any state-funded benefits to a person who is in the state illegally."
AB 1018 was also killed by the committee during Tuesday's hearing.