Lawyers for the state are taking legal steps designed to eventually allow police to arrest day laborers who step in to traffic to solicit work.

A provision of SB 1070 makes it a crime to enter a motor vehicle stopped on the street in order to be hired if the vehicle blocks or impedes traffic. It also prohibits someone in a car from stopping in an attempt to hire a temporary worker. 

A federal appellate court put these sections on hold while challengers ask U.S. District Court Judge to permanently void the statute. They say it's not fair to have a law aimed solely at day laborers. Ryan Anderson, a spokesman for the Attorney General's office argued there's nothing discriminatory about that.

“I don't think that by defending this provision of the law that we are in any way preventing day laborers from seeking employment. They're just not allowed to impede or affect traffic,” Anderson said.           

But in its earlier order the federal appeals court pointed out there are other laws designed to keep people from impeding traffic.