Okla. House panel passes illegal immigrant bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma House committee has approved anti-illegal immigrant legislation that would give Oklahoma law enforcement officials new authority to assess the immigration status of motorists.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill Monday and sent it to the full House for action.

Its author, Rep. George Faught of Muskogee, says the measure incorporates language from anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona into Oklahoma's existing anti-immigrant measure that was approved in 2007. Both measures have been challenged legally.

Among other things, it gives state and local law enforcement officers the authority to inquire about the immigration status of occupants of vehicles that are pulled over for legal traffic stops.

It also prohibits employers from stopping their vehicles in public roadways to hire and transport pedestrians to a worksite elsewhere.