Governor Kay Ivey signed two immigration-related bills into law on Monday, while several others await final passage in the legislature with only one legislative day remaining.
With the conversation surrounding illegal immigration in both state and national politics, lawmakers made tackling illegal immigration at multiple levels a priority this legislative session.
The House filed several immigration-related bills, all currently awaiting approval in the Senate, and vice versa.
With only one day remaining for lawmakers to conduct business, the chances of all illegal immigration bills reaching the finish line are all but impossible.
Despite the gridlock, two bills have cleared both houses and will become law with Ivey's signature on Monday.
The first is Senate Bill 63 (SB63) by State Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City), which would require law enforcement agencies to collect fingerprints and DNA from any illegal alien in the agency's custody and submit the fingerprints and DNA for testing or cataloging.
State Rep. Mark Shirey (R-Mobile) carried the bill in the House.
The bill also forms the Alabama DNA Database Fund in the State Treasury to fund its provisions. New fees will provide the necessary funds for the fund. A $2 fee will be imposed on all municipal, district, and circuit court civil cases and upon initiation, attachment, garnishment, or execution proceedings.
In all municipal, district and circuit court criminal cases, in bond forfeiture proceedings, and upon the issuance of any arrest warrant, the imposed fee is $15.
"Alabama is taking steps to protect our communities from impacts on public safety and the integrity of our elections," Ivey said. "These bills will do just that by closing a loophole in state law concerning voter ID while also further enhancing law enforcement's ability to effectively identify illegal immigrants with criminal records."
Next is Senate Bill 158 by State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road), prohibiting the use of foreign national driver's licenses as photo identification for voting.
Both bills cleared both houses generally around party lines, with Democrats mostly opposing most immigration-related bills this session. Mostly, Democrats decried immigration efforts as either gratuitous or cruel, claiming state lawmakers were simply following the lead of the Donald Trump administration.
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