The Utah Senate decided Monday against giving about 800 legal immigrant children access to government health programs without a five-year waiting period.

SB44 would have removed the waiting period and brought the state's rules in line with new federal rules for access to Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City, sponsored the bill and said opponents have spread misinformation about it. She said it does not cover children born in the United States to undocumented parents, but only the children of legal permanent residents.

Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, supported the bill because he said the state should reward legal immigration.

"That's how my ancestors came through," he said.

But Sen. Allen Christensen, R-North Ogden, said immigrants are expected to play by the rules upon arriving here -- and he said removal of a five-year waiting period would change the rules. Immigrants are expected to provide for themselves or have their sponsors do so for five years, he said.

The bill failed by a one-vote margin 14-13. A bill requires 15 votes or more to pass the 29-member Senate.