INDIANAPOLIS — A bill to crack down on companies that hire illegal immigrants was sent to a summer study session Thursday night in the Statehouse.

A House-Senate conference committee met Thursday evening to discuss a possible compromise between the House and Senate versions of the bill. But committee chairman Sen. Tom Weatherwax, R-Logansport, said lawmakers still had many questions about the effects of the proposal.

“We just don’t have a lot of the answers,” he said.

Weatherwax said it would be better for lawmakers to send the issue to a summer study committee — and possibly take action next year — than to pass a bill with consequences they don’t fully understand.

Friday is the deadline for the legislative session to end.

Bill sponsor Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, was frustrated with the delays, saying they were an effort to kill the legislation.

“It’s a battle between the will of the people and the will of the lobbying community,” Delph said. “It’s a shame. I hope people wake up and listen to the will of the people.”

Rep. Scott Pelath, one of the conference committee members, said earlier Thursday that the Senate should simply agree with the House version rather than try to strike a new compromise.

“If the Senate wants an immigration bill, they already have one at their disposal,” said Pelath, D-Michigan City.

Pelath stopped short of saying he won’t sign off on any proposed compromise, but repeated that the “pre-eminent option” would be for the Senate to agree to the House bill.

Bill supporters say most Hoosiers want something done on illegal immigration because the federal government is not acting on it. Several business organizations oppose the bill, saying Indiana’s economy could suffer if the proposal passes, hurting both illegal workers and American citizens.

About 55,000 to 85,000 unauthorized immigrants live in Indiana, according to 2006 estimates from the PEW Hispanic Center.