Rep. Sandstrom decided to let his E-Verify bill expire by abandoning it at the deadline. He decided over the weekend afterwards to try to pull a new bill file to run it after all. After the deadline, anyone that wants to open a bill file must ask "leave of the body" with a voice vote on the floor. It was not clear who won that vote and division was called, requiring a roll call vote.
I voted to allow Rep. Sandstrom to open his bill file, so we could see the bill, amend it if needed and vote on it. Almost all of the surveys that I got back said that
"Utah should increase illegal immigration enforcement using E-Verify."
The measure to allow the bill file failed 36 to 37 with Rep. Fisher voting against it.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53472422-90/bill-verify-sandstrom-file.html.csp
Rep. Sandstrom found someone else that had a bill file that they didn't want, 2012 HB 477, and took that and tried to run that bill. He was not able to get the bill out of House Rules Committee.
Rep. Herod tried to redo the 2011 HB 116 bill. He couldn't get it out of the House Rules Committee and tried to bypass the committee and move it to another committee which didn't pass by voice vote. I wanted the bill to have a public committee and be voted on so I voted to move the bill.
Repealing 2011 HB 116 didn't have as much support but I was very interested in fixing it, as I didn't vote for it.
http://www.fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-didnt-vote-for-2011-hb-116.html
http://www.fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2012/02/2012-survey-results.html
There was a bill in the Senate to repeal 2011 HB 116, but it didn't make it to the house for me to vote for it.
For more information about Immigration Bills, see:
http://utahpulse.com/bookmark/17662286-Immigration-Reform-Appears-to-be-Dead-in-2012
I voted for the E-Verify Bill last year:
http://le.utah.gov/~2011/htmdoc/hbillhtm/hb0253s01.htm
As of right now, one of the immigration bills passed last is being blocked by the feds in court, and others may be since they reference code section amendments also being blocked. This also effects the proposed Catsup ordinance since it uses the 2011 HB 116 E-Verify Section that hasn't taken effect and may not. The section that Catsup should have referenced is set to be repealed by 2011 HB 116. It is a catch 22 that I am hoping to figure out how to solve this summer. I voted to allow Rep. Sandstrom to pull his bill file because I was hoping we could solve this. Some of the others voted against it because they want to see what we have to work with when the dust settles.
Speaker Lockhart is more apt to let the Rules committee work, where some past House Speakers have personally blocked bills. I am not blaming her.
I had one bill that it took 3 weeks for me to move out of rules and then the committee chair it was sent to refused to put it on the agenda.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/53616967-82/energy-code-standards-utah.html.csp