State Capital News Service

?OKLAHOMA CITY-- On Monday, the Oklahoma Senate will be the last battleground before a major part of the Republicans' 2007 legislative agenda lands on Gov. Brad Henry's desk.

?A bill characterized as one of the most sweeping immigration measures in the country is scheduled to come to a final vote in the Senate, where a similar bill met its demise last year.

If enacted, HB 1804 would deny food stamps, child care benefits and other state assistance to undocumented immigrants. It would make it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to reside in Oklahoma, establish penalties for employers who knowingly hire them, and crack down on identity theft and voter fraud.

But the environment in the Senate is strikingly different than it was last year, thanks in part to a freshman Cleveland County legislator.

For the first time, the Oklahoma Senate is not owned and operated by Democrats, and legislative observers consider it a forgone conclusion that the Republican-driven immigration bill will reach the governor's desk.

One of the reasons the Democrats no longer control the Senate is that Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, wrested a traditionally Democrat seat in Cleveland County from Daisy Lawler, largely due to his stance on illegal immigration.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, the principal author of HB 1804, said immigration proved decisive in the Sykes-Lawler race.

"Illegal immigration is what took Daisy Lawler out," Terrill said.? "She voted to let illegal aliens have Oklahoma driver's licenses, and she voted to have financial aid for illegal immigrants. There was no singularly more important issue in deciding that race."

Sykes made immigration reform the pillar of his campaign, and pledged to co-sponsor Terrill's immigration reform bill this session if elected.

Sykes won the election by fewer than 500 votes in a district with 2,500 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

Not only did he make good on his campaign promise, Sykes has been instrumental in moving the bill through the Senate and will be responsible for whipping together the votes necessary to get the bill to Henry's desk, Terrill said.

"All along, Sen. Sykes has been one of the two primary guys moving the bill along," Terrill said. "Behind the scenes, Sen. Sykes has certainly carried his fair share of the water on this issue."

Sykes did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Now that the first Republican-friendly Senate is poised to present Henry with a tough immigration reform bill, one big question looms: Will the he veto it?

Henry recently used his veto power for the first time to scrap most of the Republican-fashioned budget for 2008, and has people wondering if he will use it again.

During last year's gubernatorial campaign, Henry worked hard to portray himself as vigilant on illegal immigration. However, he has fueled the current drama by being conspicuously silent on the issue of late.

"He might very well veto the bill," said Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore.?"We don't know because he hasn't made very many public statements on the issue, so it is hard to tell what he is going to do."

Wesselhoft said one of Henry's talents is that he has been a moderate governor and hasn't blindly championed every Democratic issue or demonized every Republican issue.

Rep. Richard Morrissette, D-Oklahoma City, who opposes HB 1804, likened the immigration bill to a train that has left the station and is speeding along the tracks out of control.

"There is a chance that the governor might stop it," Morrissette said. "That's our only hope left."

Rep. Bill Nations, D-Norman, said emotions are high on the issue right now and judgment is clouded.?

"It is so emotional right now," Nations said. "And when that happens, cooler heads rarely prevail. Usually we overreact."

Rep. Wallace Collins, D-Norman, echoed the Democratic mantra, lamenting that the ball will soon be in the governor's court. Immigration, Collins said, should be dealt with at the federal level, not at the state.

"I think this bill is onerous in a lot of respects, but the bottom line is that this is a failing of the federal government," Collins said.?"President Bush and the federal government have failed this country, and now states like Oklahoma are trying to rectify the situation in a patchwork manner.?That's not going to work. It's going to have to be solved at the federal level."

Terrill agreed that the federal government has dropped the ball, but said it is now up to the states to pick it up and run with it.

"Our federal government hasn't stopped illegal immigration," Terrill said.? "So it's up to us to lead the way."

HB 1804 has been characterized as racially insensitive by opponents and hailed as the nation's best reform bill by supporters. What both sides agree on is that its repercussions will be far-reaching. All eyes will soon be on Henry to see if he signs the bill or if he reaches for his veto pen.

Dallas Tupper is a senior journalism student at the University of Oklahoma.