Lawmakers may face immigration fight again

A local group is wondering whether state lawmakers will once again take up the issue of illegal immigration during the new legislative session.
 
Specifically, House Bill 296, which would require schools to report the number of students who cannot prove they are in the country legally.
 
"We're gearing up for a fight," said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.
 
The association said efforts to tu the bill into law will meet opposition. 
 
A similar provision of a new law in Alabama was initially upheld by a federal judge, but later put on hold by an appeals court.
 
"We've seen the devastating impact it's had on Alabama," Gonzalez said, who argues it has scared away families.

Others argue the bill is exactly what the state needs in order to tally up the burden of illegal immigrants on public services.
 
HB 296 would also require health care facilities receiving state funding to report patients who are unable to prove they are in the country legally.
 
Channel 2 Action News could not reach the bill's sponsor, Republican state Rep. Josh Clark of Buford, for comment.
 
When Clark introduced the bill last year, he said, "I think you'll agree HB 296 is just a common-sense bill.  Schools and hospitals receiving state funds should be transparent regarding the costs of providing services to illegal aliens.  With accurate information, we would have a legitimate argument to require the federal govement to fulfill their duty to seal our borders, or risk lawsuits from states over the actual cost inflicted due to their negligence."
 
Federal law requires public schools to educate all children in their districts, regardless of legal status.
 
Supporters of HB 296 say illegal immigrants have been a drain on public services for too long. Critics say it could lead to more economic difficulties for the state in sectors such as agriculture, where some growers said Georgia's immigration law scared workers away and cost the state millions of dollars.
 
It's still unclear how far HB 296 might go this year, given that the state is still fighting in federal court to enact certain provisions of the immigration law passed last year.