By STEVE LAWRENCE
Associated Press Writer
SACRAMENTO, Calif.- A legislative committee Tuesday rejected proposed constitutional amendments seeking to deny some benefits to illegal immigrants and create a state border police force.
The Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 to reject an amendment that would prevent illegal immigrants from receiving any health care or social services not required by federal law.
The committee also voted 5-2 to reject an amendment that would create a state border police force to supplement federal efforts to enforce immigration laws, including the ban on hiring illegal immigrants.
Republican lawmakers said illegal immigration costs California $9 billion to $10 billion a year in areas such as education, health care and incarceration and that the federal government isn’t controlling the borders.
“The federal government has just abandoned state and local governments and is doing a terrible job on this,” Republican Assemblyman Tom Harman said of the benefits measure. “Something needs to be done. This is the right step in the right direction.”
Opponents said both measures raised constitutional questions, that they could increase state costs and that the amendments’ authors should be complaining to President Bush about inadequate immigration enforcement.
“If there’s a need for greater security, that’s a need the federal administration should be taking on,” said Democratic Judiciary Committee chairman Dave Jones.
The measures’ sponsors said there would be efforts to put the proposals _ or similar ones _ on the ballot next year as initiatives.