Two major measures that would have repealed in-state tuition and driving privilege cards for undocumented immigrants failed to find support in the Senate, despite both passing the House. Instead, the Senate passed a bill tightening the rules for the driving cards and never debated the tuition waiver repeal contained in HB241.

HB241, sponsored by Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, would have repealed a 2002 law allowing undocumented immigrants who attend a Utah high school for three years to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. initially had expressed concerns about the immigration measures, particularly SB81 and efforts to repeal the driving privilege cards and in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants. However, as SB81 evolved, Huntsman became more amenable to it, especially when the implementation date was delayed by a year.

However, Huntsman had been supportive of the task force to study immigration, as had been several advocacy groups and a coalition of business leaders.

SB81 was modeled after an Oklahoma law that's considered one of the toughest in the nation. However, after slates of amendments from the House and the Senate, the bill has taken on its own form.

And its provisions only apply to public employers and businesses that contract with the state.

Sponsor Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, was also anticipating the study when he told the Deseret Morning news this week, "I would hope something would come out of the task force that would improve the legislation. That's the whole purpose of going through the (study) procedure."

Bills that passed:

• SB81 — Takes effect July 2009. It creates barriers against undocumented immigrants finding jobs or public benefits and creates an immigration enforcement role at the local and state level.

• HB171 — Tightens restrictions on undocumented immigrants' driving privilege cards by making them invalid as age verification for purposes such as buying alcohol or firearms. It also revokes cards of uninsured drivers and it prevents issuing temporary driving privilege cards.

• HB262 — Requires the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to conduct a study of potential reimbursement from the federal government for state costs associated with illegal immigration.

• HB339 — Creates state criminal penalties for human smuggling and human trafficking.

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com