Week in photos: At the Statehouse January 23rd – 27th

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AUDIO RELEASE: Democrats protest immigration bill in State Senate

INDIANAPOLIS— On Tuesday, a bill dealing with immigration was approved in the State Senate despite Democrat protests that the legislation encourages racial profiling, will cost the state jobs, and carries a significant financial cost for state and local governments. Senate Bill 590 would establish a number of restrictive provisions such as enabling law officers to verify an individual’s U.S. citizenship with “probable cause” and requiring that only English be used in any public document, including government websites and forms.

Senate Democrats rose strongly in opposition to the bill, citing the chilling consequences it would have on economic development, particularly in the state’s corporate and academic recruitment of high-skilled professionals from around the world.

Senate Bill 590 was approved by a vote of 31-18. It will now go to the House for further consideration.

State Senator John Broden, a Democrat from South Bend, says the bill is a jobs killer that will hurt Indiana’s economy, as recognized by top employers Eli Lilly and Cummins. Sen. Broden also says the local governments will see an unmanageable cost in enforcing the bill.
SEN. BRODEN: “This bill is a jobs killer…”

(Length: 00:32:20)
SEN. BRODEN: “I think this bill does have a significant fiscal impact…”

(Length: 00:22:27)

State Senator Tim Lanane, a Democrat from Anderson, outlined a number of requests from Hoosier job-creators urging the legislature to refrain from passing the bill due to a negative impact on business.
SEN. LANANE: “A couple days ago I saw something…”

(Length: 02:05)

State Senator Lonnie Randolph, a Democrat from East Chicago, says the issue should be dealt with on the federal level. He says state legislators should be dealing with the state budget and job creation, not this.
SEN. RANDOLPH: “All of the problems that we’ve got and we want to solve the federal…”

(Length: 00:51)
SEN. RANDOLPH: “We should be ashamed…”

(Length: 00:44:09)

State Senator Karen Tallian, a Democrat from Portage, says she can’t be quiet while Indiana becomes one of a handful of states to adopt some of the most restrictive and racially controversial measures in the country.
SEN. TALLIAN: “Now we’ve been told that we need this bill…”

(Length: 01:23)

State Senator Greg Taylor, a Democrat from Indianapolis, says that he is concerned about the bill’s potential affect on the new Indianapolis Convention Center.
SEN. TAYLOR: “I care about my convention center…”

(Length: 00:21)

For more information on senate bills or the Senate Democrats visit http://www.senatedemocrats.in.gov.

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