Attempt to revive Ryan Walters' immigration-check rule in Oklahoma schools fails
A second attempt to revive state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters' proposal to track immigrant students and their families has failed, this time during a House committee hearing.
The House Administrative Rules Committee voted 10-3 to reject an amendment by state Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, that would have changed the status of the rule from rejected to approved. After voting down the amendment, the committee voted 13-0 to approve Senate Joint Resolution 22, which covers proposed new education policies, and send it to the House floor.
Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, the committee's chair, said after the meeting on Monday, May 19, that he's hopeful the full House might be able to consider the resolution on Wednesday, May 21, or Thursday, May 22. If it passes the full House, it would go to Gov. Kevin Stitt, as it's already made it through the Senate. Stitt has been a fierce critic of the Oklahoma State Department of Education's proposed rule and has accused Walters, a fellow Republican, of using children as political pawns.
The proposed rule from the agency — which is led by Walters — would require schools to seek information about the immigration status of students and their parents during enrollment. Another proposed rule by that agency that's in line for rejection is one that would require Oklahoma teachers to take the U.S. Naturalization Test to renew their teaching license.
Jenkins, the committee's vice chair, is the second legislator to push for acceptance of the proposed immigration rule. Last week on the Senate floor, state Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, proposed two amendments to the resolution, either one of which would have listed the rule as accepted. But 19 Republicans joined with eight Democrats to table those two amendments. After Jett's amendments were tabled, the Senate voted 43-0 to approve the resolution.
In Monday's committee meeting, Jenkins cited 'the invasion that we have over our southern border' as her reason to suggest approval of the immigration-check rule.
'I feel like this is an issue that requires transparency for the taxpayers of the state of Oklahoma,' she said.
Two of her fellow Republican committee members pushed back. Rep. Clay Staires, R-Skiatook, said he didn't think the agency had statutory authority to create such a rule, repeating a concern he voiced at a separate meeting in April. Kendrix agreed, saying, 'This is not a policy committee, it's a statutory authority committee.'
After nearly a half hour of back and forth, only Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, and Rep. Cody Maynard, R-Durant, voted with Jenkins to support her amendment.
Following the meeting, Kendrix said he didn't know if other House members might try to follow the lead of Jenkins in proposing amendments to the resolution that could be considered once it reaches the House floor.
'I think it's always a possibility and that's a part of our transparent and accountable process, that everybody gets a chance to have their voice,' Kendrix said. 'I have no issue with that.'
Walters, during a news conference at the Capitol on May 16, accused the Legislature and governor of not being transparent concerning the issue.
'It's incredibly disappointing that we see the Senate not provide that type of transparency for taxpayers,' Walters said. 'Let's just be real clear. Our rule says that we are going to account for how many taxpayer dollars, how much goes towards illegal immigrants in our schools.'
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ryan Walters' Oklahoma immigration rule rejected by House committee
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