FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO)  — The Fairness Act is back at the statehouse. State Representative J.D. Prescott has reintroduced the comprehensive immigration bill, aimed at bolstering Indiana’s role in immigration enforcement. “The Fairness Act is our comprehensive immigration bill that we’ve be en working with Attorney General Todd Rokita and others,” Prescott told Fort Wayne’s Morning News with Kayla Blakeslee. “It will ensure that local law enforcement are honoring ICE detainer requests and strengthening our anti-sanctuary city statutes in Indiana, and also having additional restrictions on employers to make sure that they are not knowingly and intentionally hiring illegal immigrants.” The legislation, which previously passed the Indiana House last session, stalled in the Senate without receiving a committee hearing or full vote. Prescott expressed optimism about the renewed push. “At the end of the day, I think we’re going to get it across the finish line this year. We just got to come together and agree upon language that’s going to get the job done,” he said. Differences exist between Prescott’s House Bill 1039 and Senator Brown’s Senate Bill 76, particularly in enforcement methods. “The major differences are the enforcement provisions,” Prescott explained. “Hers goes through the Department of Corrections. Mine, it would be the Attorney General’s Office bringing a suit, enforcing that through our sanctuary city laws. On the workforce issues, hers is through Homeland Security and OSHA restrictions; mine is through business licensure.” Addressing critics concerned about expanding the Attorney General’s enforcement authority, Prescott emphasized that the office is following existing legal frameworks. “The attorney general’s office already has oversight and the ability to enforce business licensures in other areas. We are expanding it, yes, but it’s still in the bailiwick of what the attorney general’s office already does,” he said. Prescott also defended state-level oversight, arguing it complements federal enforcement. “The federal government wants the assistance from the states and the local level. They don’t have the bandwidth to do it all on their own,” he said. Currently, House Bill 1039 is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, while Senate Bill 76 has passed out of committee and awaits second readings in the Senate. Prescott remains hopeful that a solid immigration bill will reach the governor’s desk this session. “I am very hopeful and optimistic that we are going to get a solid immigration bill signed into law this session. It’s just a matter of which one of these bill numbers is the vessel,” he said. The post WOWO EXCLUSIVE – Prescott Reintroduces Fairness Act appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less