LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska lawmaker has proposed a bill that would hold refugee groups liable for damages if one of the refugees they have accepted commits a crime.

Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion introduced the measure Thursday amid a heated debate over whether Nebraska should accept refugees from war-torn Syria.

Several nonprofit agencies have said they are working to resettle the refugees in Nebraska. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said the state should welcome refugees, but he has concerns about how they’re screened.

The bill would require groups to compensate state or local governments for the cost of prosecuting a refugee. It also would allow crime victims to sue the groups, and require the refugee agencies to demonstrate that they have the capacity to cover up to $25 million in damages.