By Rep. David Bedey, HD 86, Hamilton
Senator Bob Phalen’s latest attack on traditional conservative Republicans, like Representatives John Fitzpatrick, Ken Walsh, Linda Reksten, and me, is—to put it mildly—once again off the mark.
Phalen claims that HB 275 would have allowed illegal aliens to obtain Montana driver’s licenses. This is bunk. The bill would have allowed a noncitizen who provided proof that he is in the country legally to apply for a two-year driving permit, which would be granted only if the person met all requirements necessary to be licensed to drive in Montana. Because the bill was carried by a Democrat, right-wing ideologues like Phalen first opposed it and now are lying about its intent. Shameful.
He then condemns Republicans who voted against SB 329 for wanting illegal aliens to take jobs away from Montana citizens. This too is nonsense. By the time SB 329 came up for a vote in the House, the Legislature had already passed a bill (HB 226) that accomplishes the intent of SB 329 by requiring employers to verify the citizenship of job applicants using either the E-Verify program or the I-9 process. This law is being implemented by the Department of Labor and Industry at a cost of just over $90,000 a year. According to Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s Department of Justice, SB 329 would have cost Montana taxpayers over $1.2 million a year.
The fiscally responsible course of action was to support HB 226 and to reject SB 329. That’s what commonsense Republicans did.
Phalen is serving the agenda of party bosses in Helena. It would be better if he concentrated on serving the interests of his constituents instead of feeding Montanans a crock of bull.
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