Information contained in this publication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or opinion, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently announced the results of its report on immigration-related laws and resolutions introduced by state legislatures in 2011. Employment remained one of the top issues in immigration-related legislation, along with law enforcement and identification/driver’s licenses.
Although the number of introduced measures increased by 16% during the first half of 2011, compared to the same period in 2010, the number of enacted bills decreased by 18%.
| 2011 (January 1 - June 31) | 2010 (January 1 - June 31) | |
| Introduced | 1,592 | 1,374 |
| States Enacting | 40 | 44 |
| Laws Passed | 162 | 191 |
| Resolutions Passed | 95 | 128 |
| Bills Vetoed | 12 | 5 |
| Pending Approval | 10 | N/A |
As reported by the NCSL, the surge in immigration-related proposals at the state level started in 2006, when the number of bills introduced (570) and laws enacted (84) essentially doubled compared to 2005. The most dramatic increase in terms of legislation volume occurred in 2007: 1,562 measures were introduced, with 240 laws enacted and 50 resolutions adopted. Since 2007, the number of immigration-related measures has always been well above 1,000, with at least 200 laws enacted each year.