In brief: Senate silences illegal immigration bill

An Idaho Senate committee refused to introduce a bill Monday for an Arizona-style anti-illegal immigration effort that would penalize employers who hire illegal workers.

“The reality is that this law has passed in Arizona and has gone to court and was upheld,” Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, told the Senate State Affairs Committee, after several members raised legal questions about the bill. “Whether or not this can happen in Idaho is yet to be seen.”

Jorgenson asked the panel to introduce his bill and not proceed any further with it this year.

But no committee member was willing to make a motion to introduce it.

Senate President Pro-tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, said, “I fear that the employers of this state just don’t have the wherewithal to determine if documents are valid or are forged or whatever. … Are we holding them to a standard that’s just virtually impossible to comply with?”

Jorgenson had co-sponsored the measure with Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol; House Speaker Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale; and Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth.

– Betsy Z. Russell

Spokane

Don’t dump your ducks in parks

Ducklings may be cute, but they turn into ducks.

And for some, caring for the fowl is too much.

Spokane Parks and Recreation is appealing to those tempted by cute Easter animals not to abandon ducks at city park ponds or grounds.

Officials are working hard to manage the wild duck population in the city and improve water quality in parks.

To accomplish the goal of maintaining the parks, officials urge the public not to feed wild ducks and to allow them to migrate as they would in a natural habitat, officials said.

Feeding ducks results in a cycle of the birds being subjected to diseases, which they spread like people spread colds, officials said.

To find a home for a duck, call (509) 625-6692.

– Jody Lawrence Turner