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am in a hurry to prepare for meeting

My friend Kevin, a talented writer, and even better analytical thinker wondered where my blog went.

It was there,

Now I am here (with the exception of Edublog).  And, I think I know what to write about now… this stuff at work is important.  If you don’t think so — talk to me.

Phil Windley of Utah points to a legislator in his state who blogged his entire day yesterday.

Imagine how government would be if the entire legislative process were so transparent.

Perhaps that will be studied as part of my dissertation.

Oh, that reminds me, SB 425 — sponsored by the Christian Coalition and pushed by a company call Unspam, is law in Utah.  Wonder if Phil has any info on the Utah Experience?

Btw, the Christian Coalition says the bill is voluntary.  Well, if you are a business sending mail to Georgians it is not.  Every month you must pay Unspam to check your list for anyone that may have joined the “Do Not Mail Registry” — otherwise – you could be sued and charged with a felony.  So if voluntary means acquiesence at the point of a gun — then it is voluntary.

Hearings in a subcommittee this am for HB 1294 and HB 1305.

HB 1294 – extends a sunset on the law allowing the University System and Technical colleges to carry over fees from one fiscal year to the next.  These are “non-state” funds taken from students to pay for technology, athletics, etc.  Simply good business — otherwise campuses “spend” the funds before June 30 — much of the time on items not needed.

HB 1305 – updates state law concerning where funds budgeted for investment in startups may be invested in the short term…

Then we get to work on SB 562 — more on that later
Oh, and I got accepted to graduate school yesterday… Yeah!

SB 529 — is going to be heard today.  I will try blogging the notes

Kemp: Is anyone here from more then one hour away?

 

Sheriff Jolley:  Representing Ga Sheriff’s Association…. Will explain process as we arrest someone – not academia…

 

Taken to jail, processed by jailer – asked litany of questions to id who the person is – if not id’d no bond.  We have access to ICE who have language experts to help us interrogate—no problem with language (72 of em)… we can converse.  If they have some id – we still try to verify who they are…  If they practiced — they will make bond.  INS has told us to let the minor crimes go.  7 deadly sins will not make bond.

 

Questions: 

 

We hear a lot today on complex issue.  I haven’t heard discussion concering growth of gangs, drug trafficking etc… Can you elaborate?

 

Sheriff: Easy money for gang activity.  Minority illegals do that.  Gangs are larger problems for cities… but are seeing increase in rural areas.  Drugs are a large problem but not just with illegals

 

Are gangs mix of illegals and legal –just legal?

 

Sheriff: I can’ t answer that question

 

Miles:  Could you tell me what provisions that are different from what you are currently doing… 

 

Sheriff : Dept of Public Safety would tell me who stays in my jail – who is illegal – INS tells me that , Public Safety doesn’t help me any

 

Miles:  Does bill provide for any change in process

 

Sheriff: No – we are doing this already.

 

Mike from (FAIR) – wanted to focus comments on testimony by MALDEF attorney.  On pre-emption:

• She is completely wrong.  State has limits set by law/federal constitution… state can’t change status of immigrant… 
• She failed to mention case in VA where we opposed … we said state admission officers could verify status…

 

As to Zamarippa’s comments

 

• Am concerned about exempting Post Secondary education benefits – there is a parallel federal statute that says you must provide same benefit to every US citizen… (we do that already – non- state tuition wise)   There are conflicts with federal law there

 

Sheriff’s comments were wrong – requires systematic reporting to central location

 

We don’t have the hard data to make precise recommendations on policies such as these…Within a year you will have a consistent data base for illegal aliens – understanding what activities they are involved in…

 

We are gonna adjourn .. may have another public hearing before vote…

 

5:30

here today to consider some amendments…that perhaps a member of the committee can select to propose these amendments if they would

 

These are friendly amendments…

 

Kemp:  Before you talk to these amendments… Can you make sure we get amendments 24 hours before we vote?

 

Zamarippa:  Section 6 – Law enforcement – Under item A – provision kicks in if suspect arrested for one of the 7 deadly sins

 

This helps with local law enforcement work load

 

Bulk of my interest has been in section 7 – want to suggest

 

1)      Item C – Line 11 – Add two provisions – exemptions-

a.       Post Secondary education – cannot punish young men and women for sins of parents.  Can’t deny them their future because their parents brought them here illegally

b.      USC Sections 1611 and 1612 – these are substantive – and I ask that we include that list as part of the bill… there should be no confusion as to what is permissible and not permissible (this amendment will also expose things not spelled out – unless you are aggressive and look up the federal code – such exposure will excite folks who did not realize they would be affected by the bill)

2)      I am going to suggest in section 7 – Rogers has spelled out who has authority to promulgate rules – let’s add a promulgation provision to say who is gonna write the policies…   this is complicated material – we need to clarify for service providers

3)      Inside the promulgation provision – anyone denied services we need to have provision to refer them to someone else (church, etc)

4)      Next piece – a substantive add – one of the serious problems in management of immigration issue is pervasive use of fraudulent docs… makes it difficult for everyone.  REAL ID will probably help resolve…  Some fraudulent work takes place – in immigrant community where there are “notaries’ who take advantage of this community… they put these immigrants on path of committing felonies.  I suggest we address this issue to restrict what these folks can do (uses Spanish form of word “notaries) these folks are not notary publics….

5)      Last amendment – getting ready for federal immigration reform. US Congress has passed resolution relating to reform.  Senate will take up in March…  They will come up with omnibus bill with other provisions for worker permits… which will also give us some money (current bill asks us to do work with no money).  Any future reform will have money associated with it.  Consider Immigration Planning Office to provide source of information to service providers on what the laws are gonna mean…. The Office Of Immingration Information and Planning would help resolve the vagueries…

 

I will properly codify these in relation to the new substitute…. And will distribute

Rogers is now bring his folks from INS

 

They wish to answer questions on Law Enforcement supportment center and determination of citizenship

 

Robert Barron – Sr Immigration official in Georgia

 

With regards to who makes determination of citizenship – it is a trained immigration officer on the other end of the SAVE system…

 

(he exits)

 

(Ms.Pastor?) Worked 4 years at DFCS on eligibility – Medicaid system terribly abused by those not eligible.  Easier for illegal to abuse the system than a citizen.  As they have no valid SS number…  Citizens are verified and validated.  An illegal applicant – you have to take their word.  Because it is so easy to violate the system – emergency medical assistance case s—85% were illegal…  Same was the case with infants… they automatically have Medicaid for year… 

 

Very often illegal mother would go to health department (where they verify literally nothing) who takes as long as they want to get application back to DFCS…  

 

Dr. Jason Kristowski (Emergency Medicine Physician) – talking of public health perspectives of this bill

 

California predated GA on a lot of these issues—Fed law trumps any state law to entitle any person on US soil to medical care.

 

Our ER’s are overwhelmed… more and more are uninsured – more aliens coming – more hospitals closing – where do they go.  And we are overwhelmed

 

Rogers said Georgia is largest producer of poultry … this industry is run heavily by undocumented aliens using fake social security cards paying taxes for benefits they will never see.

 

When avian flu comes – it will come via workers working with sick birds.  I know communicable diseases not included – but people come with wheeze and cough – not communicable disease – so what will happen is epidemic that exceeds are radar

 

I don’t want healthcare to be included – it should be excluded.  Immigrants are part of our community whether we like it or not.

 

I went to Med school because I wanted to help people – I think it is moral responsibility to help the sickness… But, under this bill, that could be the case…

Dr. George Rust, professor of Social Medicine at Morehouse

 

Kemp: Please skip over same comments

 

I have tremendous amount of experience caring for immigrant populations

 

I’d like to suggest that this bill has important negative consequences for health of all Georgians..

 

Comments confined to health impact:  Research – 50% of ER visits are primary care preventable conditions.  But this bill parses out what care is applicable to illegal immigrants with some arrogance that we can parse out the care in such a way as to not hurt someone.

 

…

 

Requiring docs, may create barrier to care for those that forget to bring their “papers� that day… so the treatment is delayed that muc longer

 

If you must pass the bill – delete all references to health – it is not necessary to support other reasons for this bill.  You won’t know a patient has a communicable disease until they examine the patient.

 

You should also exclude health as you don’t need another layer of bureaucracy – we don’t need more paperwork…

 

And if you pass with health references – don’t ask us to enforce.  These students here have not practiced in a time when there were separate waiting rooms and segregated hospital wings.  We have determined we won’t be part of it again.

 

Dr. Mercado (sp?)

 

Pediatrician for 15 years… comments are similar.  As a physician for grady – Health and Immigration should not be combined…. Main point is I am a physician  – I want to treat them not deal with barriers

Jesus Limus

 

I am Fulton County Resident – 3^rd year at UCLA with MBA at Emory.  Am son of illegal immigrants who become legal in 1987.  I am story of achieving American dream…

 

Georgia has 280,000 undocumented illegal immigrants – I oppose this bill as it will have devastating impact on illegal aliens.  In terms of my nine siblings and me—we had immunization shots because my mother trusted American doctors.

 

When I treat – I see a brother or sister – not a legal or illegal alien

 

Many recent immigrants help make this country a better place.

 

With your support – more parents will get support, like mine, who will raise healthy children, Americans by birth, who are Americas future