Deal in Works on Immigration Legislation

Salt Lake Tribune reported that: Rep. Stephen Sandstrom has agreed to a deal with legislative leaders in which he will remove the words “reasonable suspicion” from his legislation to have local police check the legal residency of people arrested or pulled over. In exchange, he has assurances of the likely passage of his enforcement-only bill in the Senate, knowledgeable sources confirmed Monday. Senate President Michael Waddoups said he requested a meeting with Sandstrom Friday to voice concerns about the bill’s links to Arizona’s SB1070 — the law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer that has made that state the face of tough, state-based immigration reform bills. “We’re asking him to make it in the format he wants,” Waddoups said. “With all of the objectionable things taken out.” That format could include requiring Sandstrom to request a new bill file be opened on the House floor, giving it a new name and a new title — and, the Senate hopes — a new image that distances the bill from Arizona’s law. Sandstrom said at this point he didn’t know if he would rename and renumber the measure. “I would say possibly,” Sandstrom said. “But right now, no.”