|
BILLS ON ILLEGALS STUDIED
Virginia Commission on Immigration takes up bills on hospital payment, creating state assistance office
By CHELYEN DAVIS
Date published: 4/2/2008
RICHMOND --While the General Assembly passed a handful of immigration-related bills in the recently-ended session, the issue is still drawing attention.
The Virginia Commission on Immigration met yesterday to start working on new legislation for next session. In the next few months, the panel will study two bills referred to it in the 2008 session.
One, from Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, would make it illegal to give a false name, address or Social Security number to avoid paying for medical services.
It also says hospitals should post notices of intent to prosecute anyone convicted of defrauding health care providers; and that hospitals can fingerprint anyone who receives medical services and can't show an ability to pay for those services.
Sen. Dick Saslaw, D-Fairfax, suggested Cuccinelli's bill may not survive the commission's study. He said he questioned Cuccinelli about the bill during the regular session and was told no hospitals in the area had requested it. He also said some of the things in the bill are already illegal.
Sen. John Watkins, R-Midlothian, the commission's chairman, said he hopes representatives from the hospital association will look into the issue and discuss it at future meetings.
The other 2008 bill referred to the commission is from Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William. It would create an Office of Immigrant Assistance within the Department of Social Services.
The office would provide assistance with the citizenship application process, with finding employment and housing and obtaining government services if immigrants are eligible.
Some members of the commission questioned whether the Department of Social Services already has such a program. DSS Commissioner Anthony Conyers Jr. said his department has an Office of Newcomer Services, but it serves refugees.
The immigration commission will also spend this year studying three immigration issues referred to it from the Crime Commission:
Whether to issue identity verification cards to people not legally in the country.
Whether to require employers to use the federal E-verify system to make sure they don't hire illegal immigrants.
What documentation of legal presence should be required for people applying for state-run public programs.
Chelyen Davis: 804/782-9362
Email: cdavis@freelancestar.com
Date published: 4/2/2008
Most recent reader comments:
Why don't we just enforce the current laws?
(posted by
blowinsmoke
, Apr. 2, 2008 7:58 am)
Verification cards to Illegals? Right before the flash of the camera goes off, why not arrest them and deport immediately? If the current immagration laws were inforced there would be no need for any studies, commissions, or adding costly departments.
What a bunch of numb nuts!
(posted by
pam57
, Apr. 2, 2008 6:12 am)
Cuccinelli would make it illegal to give false name and address to skip on medical bills? Hello! Is that legal now?? Lets spend more tax dollars to add a dept. to SS to help these poor Illegals access services that “citizens” can’t even get, WOW that’s a great idea. (NOT) And I wonder how much it will cost the state to issue them all ID’s. What will they say? “Illegal Alien-- ha ha ya can’t bust me” ???
|
Star Directory
