A lawmaker started circulating a bill Wednesday that would give law enforcement officers the right to question certain people’s citizenship.

The bill requires officers to determine a person’s citizenship if there is reasonable suspicion to believe the person is not lawfully present in the country. But the person must be an arrestee or be charged with a crime or civil violation, and officers cannot consider a person’s race, color or national origin as reason to expect they are an illegal alien, according to language in the bill.

Bill author Rep. Don Pridemore, R-Hartford, said the provisions within his bill are not an attack on immigrants, but a way to punish criminal elements within the illegal alien community.

“If a person comes here illegally, I don’t care where they’re from – Egypt, Mexico, wherever,” Pridemore said. “If they come here and work and do not get involved with law enforcement or get into any crimes they will never get under the jurisdiction of this bill.”

Pridemore said he drafted the bill during the last session in August because it was a hot issue at the time in Arizona, which passed a similar law in April 2010. The law caused illegal immigrants in Arizona to leave and look for other states to live in, Pridemore said.

Wisconsin, and Madison specifically, Pridemore said, has always been known for its social benefits and attracted illegal immigrants. He said he hopes the bill he drafted would disinterest illegal immigrants from coming to Wisconsin because of the stricter policies.

Currently, the Madison Police Department does not require its officers to check the citizenship of those arrested or charged with a crime or civil violation, MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said.

Another part of Pridemore’s bill would prohibit cities like Madison, villages, towns or counties from enacting ordinances prohibiting an employee from inquiring whether an individual who receives public services is lawfully present in the state.

The bill requires employees to notify the authorities if they have reason to believe an illegal alien is receiving benefits and failure to do so would cost $500 for each day of noncompliance.

Rep. Evan Wynn, R-Whitewater, has already volunteered to co-sponsor the bill, Pridemore said. The circulation period is set to end March 15.