Utah guts illegal immigration bill.

Immigration: Nice to see the LDS and business partners run roughshod over the state government to turn the bill into garbage.

Senators are reworking parts of a comprehensive immigration package to make the measure more palatable to the business community and religious leaders, its sponsor said Tuesday. Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, said he pushed back the Senate debate on his SB81 -- scheduled Tuesday -- until Thursday because some of the refinements to his anti-illegal immigration bill are still being made. "We're trying to get this bill to be a reasonable piece of legislation that is [as] business friendly as possible and yet maintains the standards we have set forth in the bill and I think we are at that point now," Hickman said. The revised measure would be a far cry from the original version modeled after an Oklahoma immigration law described as one of the toughest in the nation. The changes would include revisions requested by leaders from several churches, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that protect the church from liability if they provide food, clothing and other charitable or humanitarian services to undocumented immigrants. Mormon officials, as well as other religious leaders, have been consulted on the changes and Hickman said he believes they will approve.

Here is what changed.

Highlights of the proposed legislation currently: * Allowed state and local partnership with federal agencies to enforce immigration law. * Penalized businesses for employing undocumented workers. * Provided penalties for people transporting, sheltering or "harboring" undocumented residents. * Repealed in-state college tuition for eligible children of undocumented residents. Already changed: * Dropped proposed tuition-repeal provision. Among known revisions now in the works: * Would remove penalties for businesses. * Would eliminate penalties for "harboring," sheltering or transporting undocumented residents

It would be easier to write a one liner to say we will work with the Feds..maybe than go thru this dog and pony show. This bill has nothing to it thanks to meddling religious and business leaders.