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Senate approves bill requiring state agencies to report services and costs for residents without lawful status
Summary
Senate Bill 100, described by its sponsor as codifying the governor's executive order on verification, requires state agencies to use the SAVE database to report services provided to people without lawful status and to publish an annual report. The bill passed 25-11 after floor questions about purpose and use of the data.
The Senate approved Senate Bill 100, titled on the floor as the State Services and Benefits — Illegal Status and Accountability Act, which directs listed state agencies to identify and report services and benefits provided to residents who lack lawful immigration status and to post an annual report online.
Sponsor remarks said the bill "codifies" Governor Jeff Landry's executive order (referenced on the floor as JML 24-05) and requires agencies to use the federal SAVE database to verify status. Senator Meegez, who handled the bill, told colleagues the reporting is intended to provide transparency about taxpayer resources by accounting for services and associated dollar amounts. He said agencies would produce an annual report available online and supply the information one week before the legislature convenes so appropriations and finance committees could consider it during budget deliberations.
During floor questions, Senator Pluss asked, "what is the ultimate purpose of what we're doing? What are we achieving with this bill?" Senator Meegez replied that the bill requires agencies to report "some information as it relates to illegal immigrants that are here in Louisiana, the number of, services that they're receiving in a dollar amount" and to provide the information a week before session to allow the legislature to prioritize funding. Meegez added the bill is "all reporting" and that policy decisions about how to use the data would be for the legislature to decide.
Senators debated the bill's purpose and utility before proceeding to a final vote. The Senate recorded passage with a tally of 25 yeas and 11 nays. Sponsors described the measure as limited to reporting and not as an immediate policy change to reduce or alter services; the text requires agencies to produce the specified information and post it publicly.
Next steps called for agencies named in the bill to begin preparing the required reports and for the legislature to consider any policy proposals that might be informed by the new data.
Items explicitly referenced on the floor included the executive order JML 24-05 and the SAVE verification system; the sponsor listed state agencies expected to report, including the Departments of Education, Health, Public Safety and Corrections, Children and Family Services, and Higher Education.
