Terrill Responds to "A Better Way Oklahoma" Complaints about HB 1804

State Rep. Randy Terrill, a Moore Republican who authored Oklahoma’s omnibus anti-illegal immigration law (House Bill 1804), issued the following statement today in response to the comments of Tom Price, a Chesapeake Energy executive fronting “A Better Way Oklahoma.” Price’s group, comprised mostly of business leaders, is planning an initiative to undermine state efforts to address illegal immigration.

“Last year, these same business groups were actively engaged in negotiations on House Bill 1804. In fact, they help craft some of the language they apparently now find unacceptable and are challenging in court. That is either the definition or irony or bad faith, I’m not sure which.

“Their complaints about House Bill 1804 are premature. The private-employment provisions haven’t even taken effect yet and they won’t until July 1. No representatives from this coalition have visited with me to discuss any specific problems stemming from House Bill 1804.

“We have always indicated that we are in an ongoing process of monitoring the implementation of House Bill 1804 to make sure that it is not overly burdensome or unworkable and if any specific problems are indentified then I will certainly be willing to listen and take steps to fix them as long as the fixes are consistent with the original intent and purpose behind House Bill 1804.

“However, I’m confident that is not the ultimate objective of this organization or these individuals. They’ve made it clear their goal is to weaken or repeal House Bill 1804, particularly the private-employer provisions. That represents an absolute U-turn from their position when they were involved in last year’s negotiations on the bill and actually took a neutral stance. Their current position is at odds with the vast majority of Oklahomans who not only want House Bill 1804 enforced, but actually want it added to and strengthened. I’m confident if they hold any town hall meetings as part of this public education campaign, that’s exactly what they will find out.

“House Bill 1804 is working. It is saving taxpayers’ money. It is also causing illegal aliens to leave Oklahoma and that was its intended purpose.

“Mr. Price’s comments in today’s Oklahoman were neither constructive nor productive and designed to avoid a substantive discussion and debate on the merits of an issue, which he knows he will lose. His statements hardly constitute working in a ‘constructive and collaborative way’ with me or the Legislature to address House Bill 1804 as he claims.”