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COLUMBIA -- A Senate panel studying legislation to curb illegal immigration will hear from more South Carolina groups favoring immigration reform and look at sex and slave labor at its next hearing Tuesday.

Sen. Jim Ritchie, a Spartanburg Republican who chairs the group, said the panel is open to hearing from representatives of the business community or Hispanic groups that may have other points of view, but so far none have signed up to speak to the panel.

"We're open to have anyone who wants to be heard speak," he said.

The six-member committee is studying proposed legislation that would require public agencies and their contractors to verify the citizenship of employees, require proof of residence for benefits administered by the state and screen jails for illegal immigrants, among other reforms.

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At its first hearing, the panel heard from a variety of groups supporting reforms to curb illegal immigration and from federal immigration officials.

A spokeswoman for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce told The Greenville News last month that the panel should leave immigration issues to Congress and the Chamber would oppose any legislation that imposes a burden on business.

A University of South Carolina immigration researcher, meanwhile, said she believes the greatest curb to illegal immigration will not come from any laws passed by South Carolina legislators but from economic development in Mexico and other nations sending immigrants.

Elaine Lacy, director of research for the USC Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, said proposals modeled on the Georgia laws are "misguided."

"It's not really addressing the real issue, which is we're going to have to do something about development and the places that are sending migrants rather than trying to punish those that are here," she said.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimated earlier this year that the state has between 35,000 and 75,000 illegal immigrants.

The panel on Tuesday is expected to hear from a state education official discussing the state's English as a second language program. Also scheduled to be heard are representatives from the South Carolina Minute Man Civil Defense Corps and Citizens for a Better Community of Hilton Head.

Ritchie said the senators also will look at the topic of sex and slave labor. The proposed legislation would allow state prosecutors to go after slavery-related crimes.