Employment; verification of eligibility. (SB90)
Introduced By
Sen. Chuck Colgan (D-Manassas) with support from co-patron Sen. Emmett Hanger (R-Mount Solon)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Employment; verification of eligibility. Requires employers to participate in an electronic employment verification system or any equivalent federal work authorization program. The measure prohibits an employer from allowing an individual to start work unless the employer has conducted the identity verification process through the electronic employment verification system and has obtained a response that affirmatively verifies that the individual is legally eligible for employment in the United States. Violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor. Read the Bill »
Status
01/30/2008: Failed to Pass in Committee
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 12/26/2007 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 081092212 |
| 12/26/2007 | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
| 01/11/2008 | Impact statement from DPB (SB90) |
| 01/21/2008 | Rereferred from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
| 01/21/2008 | Rereferred to Courts of Justice |
| 01/28/2008 | Assigned Courts sub: Special on Immigration |
| 01/30/2008 | Passed by indefinitely in Courts of Justice (13-Y 2-N) (see vote tally) |
Comments
There is a reason that Illinois law currently prohibits the use of eVerify by Illinois employers. The system remains a "pilot program" because of underfunding and because of concerns about the reliability of the information in the system. Until the federal government appropriates sufficient funds to ensure that the system is adequately funded and staffed and applies to all employers nationally without exception, Virginia should not mandate the system's use by Virginia employers.
So if the system is inadequate, get it up-to-date and implement this law as soon as possible. There are plenty of funds available for inane programs that are not needed near as much as this one. Pass the bill, fund the programs, hire the legal Americans for the jobs and implement the eVerify program ASAP. Virginia should mandate this system's use by Virginia employers immediately.