Published: August 28, 2008 10:41 pm      

8-29 OKC briefs

AG defends immigration law

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma is asking the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to throw out a judge’s order blocking enforcement of parts of the state’s tough anti-illegal immigration law affecting employers and contractors.

The office of Attorney General Drew Edmondson, in a brief filed this week, asks the Denver court to reverse a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robin J. Cauthron, who has blocked enforcement of provisions that had been scheduled to go into effect July 1.

Cauthron ruled the law is probably unconstitutional because it subjects employers to penalties for not using a federal online verification system to determine the legal status of employees and contractors or subcontractors.

The law requires public employers or businesses that have state contracts to withhold income taxes of contractors and subcontractors if they do not use the verification system.

Assistant Attorney General Dan Weitman said the statute was carefully crafted so it would not interfere with federal law.

State preparing in case of hurricane evacuees

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — State emergency management officials are preparing just in case evacuations are ordered along the Gulf Coast because of Tropical Storm Gustav.

Oklahoma Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood says officials are part of twice daily conference calls with officials in Texas.

He says any evacuations would likely go first to points in northern Louisiana, then to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth areas before evacuees would be sent to Oklahoma.

Ashwood says it'll be another 48 hours before officials have a good idea where Gustav will even make landfall.