2008 General Election Ballot Measures: Immigration

Summary: "Stop Illegal Hiring" Act is an initiative designed to crack down on unethical businesses who hire illegal immigrants. This initiative targets employers who hire workers and pay under-the-table in cash, which fuels illegal immigration in Arizona. It revokes the business license of employers who knowingly or intentionally hire illegal immigrants. This initiative increases penalties for identity theft, as illegal immigrants often use stolen identities to conceal their undocumented status. Fines collected as a result of this initiative will be distributed to schools and hospitals to help deal with the financial burden placed on the state because of illegal immigration.

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Summary: Requires minimum of $965,000,000 each year to be allocated from state General Fund for police, sheriffs, district attorneys, adult probation, jails and juvenile probation facilities. Some of this funding will increase in following years according to California Consumer Price Index; makes approximately 30 revisions to California criminal law, many of which cover gang-related offenses and eliminates bail for illegal immigrants. Revisions create multiple new crimes and additional penalties, some with the potential for new life sentences; and increases penalties for violating a gang-related injunction and for felons carrying guns under certain conditions.

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Summary: Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to add a statement that English shall be the language of all governmental meetings at which any public business is discussed, decided, or public policy is formulated whether conducted in person or by communication equipment including conference calls, video conferences, or Internet chat or message board?

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Summary:Amends Oregon Revised Statutes to require English immersion in public schools. Under this measure, non-English speaking students that enter the school system at the kindergarten through fourth grade level will be limited to one year of English immersion classes;those entering at the fifth through eighth grade levels can have one and a half years of English immersion; and those entering in the ninth through twelfth grade levels will be limited to two years of English immersion. Also has provisions for those already enrolled in an ESL program on the effective date of this Act.

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