State Capital News Service

?OKLAHOMA CITY-- On Monday, the Oklahoma Senate will be the last battleground before a major part of the Republicans' 2007 legislative agenda lands on Gov. Brad Henry's desk.

?A bill characterized as one of the most sweeping immigration measures in the country is scheduled to come to a final vote in the Senate, where a similar bill met its demise last year.

If enacted, HB 1804 would deny food stamps, child care benefits and other state assistance to undocumented immigrants. It would make it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to reside in Oklahoma, establish penalties for employers who knowingly hire them, and crack down on identity theft and voter fraud.

But the environment in the Senate is strikingly different than it was last year, thanks in part to a freshman Cleveland County legislator.

For the first time, the Oklahoma Senate is not owned and operated by Democrats, and legislative observers consider it a forgone conclusion that the Republican-driven immigration bill will reach the governor's desk.

One of the reasons the Democrats no longer control the Senate is that Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, wrested a traditionally Democrat seat in Cleveland County from Daisy Lawler, largely due to his stance on illegal immigration.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, the principal author of HB 1804, said immigration proved decisive in the Sykes-Lawler race.

"Illegal immigration is what took Daisy Lawler out," Terrill said.? "She voted to let illegal aliens have Oklahoma driver's licenses, and she voted to have financial aid for illegal immigrants. There was no singularly more important issue in deciding that race."

Sykes made immigration reform the pillar of his campaign, and pledged to co-sponsor Terrill's immigration reform bill this session if elected.

Sykes won the election by fewer than 500 votes in a district with 2,500 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

Not only did he make good on his campaign promise, Sykes has been instrumental in moving the bill through the Senate and will be responsible for whipping together the votes necessary to get the bill to Henry's desk, Terrill said.

"All along, Sen. Sykes has been one of the two primary guys moving the bill along," Terrill said. "Behind the scenes, Sen. Sykes has certainly carried his fair share of the water on this issue."

Sykes did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Now that the first Republican-friendly Senate is poised to present Henry with a tough immigration reform bill, one big question looms: Will the he veto it?