The Arizona Senate convened for a floor session on Wednesday May 22. It was not a pretty sight.
Up for debate and a vote was HCR2060, the ballot referral trying to make immigration a state issue. Democrats repeatedly pointed out the likely consequences of allowing local law enforcement to intercept suspected border crossings. In addition to local action being unconstitutional, since immigration and border patrol is a federal jurisdiction, it could resurrect the profiling seen when SB1070 was passed in 2010. The debate was extremely long and heated. True to character, or lack thereof, John Kavanagh LD3 gave credence to Democrats fears when he referred to any criminals in the gallery. The gallery at the time was filled with brown skinned people who had come to the capitol to listen to the debate on a bill feared to provoke racial profiling.
The bill has numerous problems including no appropriation attached, and its lack of support from both law enforcement agencies and the business community.
The referral was passed on a partisan vote. The House will not take up the measure until June 4th at the earliest since they are off until that time.
The Senate is now adjourned until June 12.
We still need a budget passed this session in order to avoid a state shutdown July 1.
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