Update: Senate refuses to agree with the House on immigration reform

COLUMBIA — After about two hours of debate, the Senate in a vote of 20-26 refused to agree with the House’s version of immigration reform.

If the Senate had agreed the vote would have sent the bill directly to the governor’s desk for his signature. The debate grew heated at times but ultimately, the Senate agreed to go along with Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, who said the House’s bill was unconstitutional and “riddled with errors.”

Many senators, mostly from the Upstate, argued that it was time to bring the matter to a vote, and deal with problems with the bill later before certain portions of the law are phased in.

The latest version passed by the House, which was on the table for a vote today, would have required employers to use South Carolina driver’s licenses or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s online database E-Verify to check the legal status of new workers. In all, the legislation contains a long list of provisions that attempt to carve out enforcement powers for the state.

Today’s vote could send House and Senate negotiators back to conference committee, or the Senate could opt to send the House another revised immigration plan. A revised version would be similar to the House’s plan in regard to worker verification standards, the biggest difference would be the way penalties would be administered for hiring illegal immigrants.

The Senate is still in session and could force another vote on the issue if they don’t adjourn first.

Read Thursday’s editions of The Post and Courier for more on the story and a breakdown of how local senators voted.