What we do as lawmakers ultimately impacts the entire state. That is certainly true of HB 1804. The question is whether the impact will be good or bad.

Overall, I believe it will do more harm than good. This is why I have proposed legislation to repeal specific sections of HB 1804.

I understand that HB 1804 was created out of extreme frustration because of the utter lack of action at the federal level to deal with the issue of illegal immigration. I want to be clear that I strongly support making our borders more secure as well as efforts to stop terrorists from entering the United States in the first place.

However, I do not believe HB 1804 does anything to stop members of al Qaeda, or any other terrorist organization, from entering our country.

HB 1804 does limit access to social services programs funded by taxpayers to legal residents and American citizens, with the specific exceptions of medical emergencies or natural disasters.

I support this provision of the bill. However, I oppose efforts to bar mothers and their unborn children from receiving medical and prenatal care.

This is not a matter of being politically correct — it is simply morally correct. I do not understand how people who claim to be pro-life can continue to call for a ban to prenatal care for illegal immigrants. If you want to protect the lives of the unborn, that means all unborn babies.

Critics claim my opposition to the bill is motivated by the fact that immigration reform will impact me financially in my work as a construction consultant. The fact is this bill does not impact me at all. But, it is impacting businesses throughout Oklahoma, both those that rely on immigrant workers and those who are losing customers because of the chilling effect of HB 1804 among Hispanics.

Recent news reports quote State Treasurer Scott Meacham as saying the flight of thousands of Hispanics following the passage of the immigration bill may be the cause of Oklahoma’s recent drop in sales tax collections. According to Meacham, this significant drop occurred in October, the month before the new law went into effect and the same month we started hearing media reports about Hispanics leaving Oklahoma.

Mike Seney, with the State Chamber of Commerce, has said employers throughout Oklahoma are having difficulty filling jobs in agriculture, construction, hotels and restaurants, and calls the situation a skilled-worker shortage.

That shortage includes workers who do have documentation, but are fearful about discrimination and about how this may impact their families.

I knew when I first voted against HB 1804 last spring that I’d be taking heat for my opposition. However, I believe it is far more important to pass legislation that is good public policy than to pass bills for political gain. This bill has resulted in bad public policy.

If we do not make the necessary corrections as soon as possible, it will only cause further harm to our state.



Contact state Sen. Harry Coates, R-Seminole, at 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 533 C, Oklahoma City, 73105 or Click Here