A Republican effort to synch state and federal immigration laws in Colorado was killed by ruling Democrats in a Senate committee Wednesday.

Senate Bill 74, sponsored by Republican Sen. Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, would have reconciled Colorado statute with a federal law that makes it illegal for someone to be present in this country if they have entered illegally. At present, there is no corresponding Colorado law.

The Senate State Affairs Committee’s Democrats rejected the bill on a party-line vote.

“How can we address the problem of illegal immigration if it’s not even illegal?” Cadman said, moments before the bill was killed.