Immigration movement

Action is forthcoming on the controversial state Senate bill that would grant health care coverage to more than 1 million undocumented immigrants.

Senate Bill 4, authored by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), has been on hold since May 4, when it was placed in the Senate Appropriations Committee's suspense file. That's where legislation that would cost more than $50,000 in general fund dollars can be held until it's reviewed against the state budget, according to the San Jose Mercury News. At the end of this month, the bill will either go to the full Senate for a vote or get shelved indefinitely. If it clears the Senate, SB 4 will go before the Assembly for another vote, and would ultimately need Gov. Jerry Brown's signature to become law.

Depending on whether President Obama's executive order to protect nearly 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation takes effect, the annual Medi-Cal costs of SB 4 could run from $175 million to $740 million, according to fiscal analysis by the state Senate.