Governor Napolitano has said she won’t sign a state budget unless it is accompanied by a comprehensive immigration plan she agrees with, a move that has rankled some Republican lawmakers and may lead to a ballot initiative.
Rep. Russell Pearce, R-18, who is spearheading the immigration reform package in the House, said he would just as soon take the plan to the ballot instead of capitulating to the governor’s wishes and tying the issue to the ongoing budget work.
“She’s not going to intimidate me or tell me what to do,” he said. “I really could care less what this governor wants at this point. I care about the people of Arizona and what they want.”
A pair of senators backed the idea of bypassing Ms. Napolitano by going directly to the ballot. Sen. Ron Gould, R-3, said it would be good strategy and would prevent the governor from using her veto power for political gain.
“I’m not here to give the governor cover on her weak immigration stance,” he said in a May 8 Republican caucus.
Sen. Dean Martin, R-6, said the funding for a ballot measure would only lag about 10 weeks behind that of a legislative package, a concession that may be worthwhile to avoid a potential veto.
However, Ms. Napolitano said a ballot proposition is not a good idea.
“I think they should send it to me as a bill, so we can get it done now,” the governor said at a May 10 press conference. “Why wait? We could go ahead and get a bill and put the numbers into the budget… and begin paying for things July 1, as opposed to waiting ‘til November.”
Measure looms
Despite the wishes of those who are angling for a comprehensive immigration package to be on the ballot in November, Republican leaders appear to be proceeding with a legislative measure. House and Senate Republicans were briefed in May 8 caucuses on what aspects the bill would cover, though many of the specific details — such as funding, in many cases — were not yet available.
House Speaker Jim Weiers, R-10, said there would be a three-pronged focus of the package, zeroing in on securing the border, eliminating incentives for illegal immigrants and enforcing immigration laws.
“This really, truly, is more than just a single approach,” he said.
The package is expected to contain provisions limiting the access illegal immigrants have to social benefits, like education and health care, as well as an employer sanctions proposal that stalled in the Senate earlier this session.
“I believe this is one of the larger issues we have to look at,” Mr. Weiers said.
Including language that would allow law enforcement to prosecute illegal immigrants for trespassing appears to be undecided. Ms. Napolitano vetoed a similar bill, S1157, last month and some political observers believe its inclusion in a comprehensive plan would all but guarantee a veto.
Senate President Ken Bennett, R-1, told his caucus May 8 the final version would contain some “workable trespass language,” but House Republicans seemed to give the idea a cool reception.
“I don’t want to see us pass a bill with the trespassing [in it]…because I don’t want to see us come away with nothing,” Rep. Mark Anderson, R-18, said, suggesting it may be better to draft separate legislation for the trespassing measure. “If we don’t do anything this session [for immigration], I don’t think any of us deserve to be re-elected.”
Mr. Weiers said he has no intention of sending a bill to the governor he thought would be vetoed, even if it made political hay in an election year.
“I want a bill that I’m going to believe will be signed,” he said.
The draft version of the proposal presented to Republicans in the caucuses had $30 million in grants so local law enforcement agencies could enforce the trespassing provision. Mr. Pearce said $15 million would be reserved for police departments and prosecutors, while the remainder would be set aside to cover the costs of jailing illegal immigrants.
Rep. Jennifer Burns, R-25, said the grant system would lead to competition among law enforcement agencies and could result in some not receiving the funding they need to enforce the law.
Mr. Weiers said he would be willing to add more money for enforcement.
“I am prepared, at this point, to do whatever it takes to give law enforcement whatever it needs to do the job,” he said.