May we serve you≠
Louis Moffa Jr. (left) and David Selden, attorneys for plaintiffs suing to block the state’s employer sanctions law, stand behind documents ready to be served to the 15 county attorneys named in the suit, as well as the state Registrar of Contractors and Attorney General Terry Goddard.

No matter what happens in a constitutional challenge of Arizona’s employer sanctions law, House Speaker Jim Weiers intends to push for legislation a spokesman says will improve the law without weakening it.
“At some point, the law will be declared constitutional…so there’s no need to wait to craft those small changes,” House Republican spokesman Barrett Marson said.
He added the exact nature of the changes has not been decided yet.
Rep. Russell Pearce, who sponsored the employer sanctions legislation earlier this year, said any changes will only “clarify” the law, not remove penalties or provide loopholes to allow businesses to continue to hire illegal immigrants.
“What [businesses] want is employer amnesty,” he said. “That’s not going to happen.”
Some of the changes Pearce plans to pursue in the upcoming session are inspired by a ballot initiative supported by businesses. Although he is generally critical of the Stop Illegal Hiring initiative because he says it will not punish businesses who hire illegal immigrants, Pearce says it includes several components he likes.
He specifically cited language that would punish independent contractors and others who hire day laborers and pay their wages in cash. The goal with the changes, he said, is to “protect honest employers and go after the underground economy.”
Pearce estimated that 80-percent of the business-backed initiative will be included in a bill he will sponsor next session.
“We’re going to stay tough,” he said. “We’re going to remain true to our commitment to the people of Arizona.”
House Minority Whip Steve Gallardo says he is disappointed his Republican colleagues do not seem willing to consider every change to the law that will be proposed.
“We shouldn’t walk in the room thinking we’re only going to make minor changes,” he said. “The problems are major.”
Gallardo, D-13, says he has been troubled by the concerns raised by business representatives on the House’s Ad Hoc Committee on Business Owners and Work Site Enforcement that the punishments for businesses found guilty of violating the law are too severe.
“We want to penalize businesses for hiring undocumented [immigrants] — we don’t want to kill businesses,” he said.