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Senate passes "SAFE Act" to require warrants for ICE entry into certain nonpublic areas; amendments and debate were extensive
Summary
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,906 (the SAFE Act) passed after multiple amendments and lengthy debate; the bill requires ICE to obtain a warrant to enter nonpublic areas of schools, hospitals, day cares and similar facilities, drawing both emotional support and concerns about federal preemption.
The Senate debated and passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5,906, commonly referenced in the floor debate as the SAFE Act. The bill restricts federal immigration enforcement officers from entering nonpublic areas of public schools, colleges, health-care facilities (public and private), day cares and other enumerated places without a warrant. Sponsors said the warrant requirement is rooted in Fourth Amendment protections and would protect students, patients and workers from enforcement actions in nonpublic areas.
Multiple amendments were introduced and adopted to refine model policies, coordinate with the Attorney General's Office, and expand protections to early learning providers; sponsors argued the changes would help employers and institutions implement the law. Senator Hansen framed the bill as a state-level guardrail against federal enforcement in specific nonpublic spaces; Senator Holy and others argued the measure risked legal conflict with federal authority and characterized the bill as potentially obstructive. Senator Hansen and multiple supporters recounted local anecdotes and called for statutory protections.
The roll call recorded "there are 38, 19 nay" and the presiding officer declared the engrossed substitute passed.
