JACKSON — The Mississippi House approved two proposals offered Thursday by Rep. Gary Chism of Columbus to set stronger state policies against undocumented immigrants.
“I want these illegal immigrants to go back home, and I want to do all we can to keep them out,” said the Republican lawmaker.
Chism persuaded the House of Representatives to adopt a measure for training state Department of Public Safety agents how to better enforce federal immigration laws.
The House also approved Chism’s proposal for the Department of Corrections to ensure immigrant criminals in state prisons are deported to their home countries and not released in Mississippi.
The anti-immigrant measures were attached to the state agencies’ spending bills (Senate Bills 3227 and 3224) the House passed Thursday as the state Legislature builds the state budget for the coming fiscal year. House-Senate negotiators will decide whether Chism’s propositions stay in the final budget bills to present to lawmakers in two weeks.
Chism on Thursday also got the House to adopt an amendment saying local governments can’t be reimbursed for homestead-exemption tax losses until they publish newspaper notices providing specific information about reappraised property values. Chism said this is aimed at ensuring the public knows county supervisors and other local officials are raising taxes and not state legislators.
This was attached as a spending condition to the state Tax Commission’s budget in Senate Bill 3233.
The House voted 80-42 for Chism’s proposal to train nine state Highway Safety Patrol officers how to crack down on illegal immigrants. Agents, for example, can be taught how to detect fraudulent documents that illegal immigrants could file to get Mississippi driver’s licenses.
The House approved Chism’s other two bill amendments by voice votes that don’t have individual tallies.
Chism noted all immigration bills have died in committee during the Legislature’s annual session, which is scheduled to end April 4.
“This is your only chance to vote against illegal immigration this year,” he told the House.
Bill Chandler of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance said Chism’s measures typify the wave of recent legislation across the country against Hispanics.
“I think Chism is consistent with the drive by some Republicans to drive Latinos out of Mississippi through fear and intimidation,” he said.
In other action Thursday, the House approved a tuition-grant measure increasing to $1,000 what the state provides to qualified freshmen and sophomores attending a state university or community college. They currently get $500 a year from the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant program. Juniors and seniors get $1,000.
MTAG aids about 21,000 students at a cost of about $15 million a year. The grant increase is budgeted to cost about $7 million a year in Senate Bill 3218.
“During trying economic times, the House believes this will stimulate our citizens to upgrade employment skills, which will be an economic boost eventually creating better paying jobs and generating more tax revenue,” House Appropriations Chairman Johnny Stringer, D-Montrose, said in a statement issued by House leaders.
However, the House voted down a plan Thursday for giving an additional $600 tuition waiver for community college students. Rep. Jerry Turner, R-Baldwyn, said he offered the proposal as “an investment” to help students get a better education.
The House voted 66-54 against Turner’s proposal, which one lawmaker described as just “wishful thinking.”
Roll call
Area legislators voting for Turner’s proposal: Jim Beckett, R-Bruce; Donnie Bell, D-Fulton; Gary Chism, R-Columbus; Reecy Dickson, D-Macon; Jimmy Puckett, D-Amory; Russ Nowell, D-Louisville; Dannie Reed, R-Ackerman.
Voting against it: Tyrone Ellis, D-Starkville; David Gibbs, D-West Point; Jeff Smith, D-Columbus.
Not voting: Esther Harrison, D-Columbus.
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=658
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