BY JEANNINE KORANDA
Eagle Topeka bureau  

The House listened to business interests and approved immigration legislation Thursday that differed so greatly from its original form that its sponsor didn't support it.

At one point, Rep. Lance Kinzer, R-Olathe, described the bill as "eviscerated."

The House began its debate by eliminating provisions under which businesses could lose their licenses for knowingly employing illegal immigrants.

The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Richard Carlson, R-St. Marys, passed 86-36.

Kinzer, the sponsor of a House substitute for Senate Bill 329, warned before the vote that the amendment would "eliminate meaningful employer sanctions from the bill."

The House took up its bill hours after the Senate's early-morning vote Thursday. The Senate rejected tougher penalties for businesses and an attempt to revoke in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

In the House, the revised measure would require businesses to use I-9 forms to verify new employees' identities. That is already required.

The first time a business is caught employing an illegal immigrant, it would be put on probation for three years and the employer would be required to attend a class on employment verification and discrimination. A second violation could lead to a fine, and the business would be required to use the federal e-Verify system to check new employees' eligibility to work in the U.S.

The original bill would have required use of e-Verify after the first time a business was convicted of knowingly employing illegal immigrants. A business would have its license suspended for at least 10 days after a second violation, and lose its license after a third.

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