Gov. to sign immigration bill

By Ken Hawkins, but enhanced by others

Updated Jun 5, 2008 at 2:00 pm;

First filed Jun 2, 2008 at 4:01 pm

flickr user corazon girl

The bill would create a host of new restrictions and penalties targeting illegal immigration.

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Governor Mark Sanford has signed the bill.

Update Wednesday at 2:08 p.m.: The Post and Courier is reporting that Governor Sanford will sign the immigration bill at 4:30 today.

Original post: An immigration reform bill has passed the House with a vote of 94-16. It passed the already-approved Senate version of the bill. Governor Sanford has already issued a statement of thanks for the passage of the bill and has announced his intention to sign it.

The new bill creates stiff penalties for businesses that businesses that hire illegal workers. A yet-to-be-created state business license would be revoked for 10-to-30 days for the first offense, with a third offense would result in a five-year revoking.

The bill would also require that people prove their lawful presence before recieving public benefits (like medical care and attending state universities), with a few exceptions.

It also creates a host of other smaller penalties and requirements.

Ken Hawkins Ken is a Lowcountry native and has more than 10 years of journalism experience with a strong background in information visualization. He is a founder of … More

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