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PHOENIX — A House panel advanced a bill Monday that would allow Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik to carry out his plan to certify Border Patrol agents who work with his border-crimes unit.

The bill, which still faces final approval in both the House and Senate, would permit Dupnik to collaborate with the Border Patrol without first seeking approval from the Pima County Board of Supervisors. Dupnik backed away from such a plan earlier this month in the face of objections to the board approving it.

"I feel this legislation is important for one simple reason: I think it will save lives," said state Rep. Jonathan Paton, a Tucson Republican and sponsor of the bill. "It will save lives of sheriff's deputies, it will save lives of Border Patrol officers, and it will save lives of, potentially, people who are in the desert."

Criticism of the bill came from state Rep. Tom Prezelski, a Tucson Democrat who said the issue had no place at the Legislature. Prezelski said even though Dupnik backed away from the plan, the issue is still being discussed between the sheriff and the supervisors, and is best left at the local level.

Prezelski said it was important to address the concerns of people "who don't want a Border Patrol agent to knock on their door when they call the sheriff."

But in an interview after the hearing, Dupnik, who is supporting the bill, said, "I have no idea what (Prezelski's) talking about."

"It's dead," he said of the plan, unless Paton's bill passes.

Currently, Dupnik is required to seek approval from the supervisors. If the bill passes and lifts that requirement, he plans to go ahead with the agreement.

Pro-immigrant activists, however, say doings so will open a "Pandora's box" that may dissuade people from calling the local authorities out of fear of being deported or being the target of racial profiling.

"We need to have checks and balances," said Jennifer Allen, executive director of Border Action Network.