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Supporters tell Ohio committee E‑Verify could curb abusive construction labor practices
Summary
Proponents of House Bill 246 told the Commerce and Labor Committee that requiring E‑Verify for construction contractors and labor brokers would deter illegal hiring and protect Ohio apprentices and wages; witnesses said the system is fast, free and nondiscriminatory, while questions remained about federal exemptions and enforcement.
Proponents of House Bill 246 told the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee that requiring the federal E‑Verify system for hires in the construction industry would reduce illegal hiring, protect Ohio apprentices and preserve wage standards.
Matt Salozzi, speaking on behalf of ACT Ohio, said E‑Verify "is free," "extremely accurate" and provides an instantaneous eligibility response, typically within "three to five seconds." He said states that implement mandatory E‑Verify for all employers have seen undocumented workers seeking jobs decline by as much as 83%, citing a National Conference of State Legislatures forum.
Salozzi said the bill is narrower than a previous iteration and focuses on construction, including contractors, subcontractors and labor brokers. "This version starts at the very first employee of a contractor, subcontractor, or labor broker," he said, noting the change from a prior bill that applied to larger employers.
Laura Curran, Ohio state director for Heritage Action for America, described the measure as a way for states to provide interior enforcement tools and said the bill would require government contractors and certain private nonresidential contractors to use E‑Verify and would allow the attorney general to hold violators accountable.
Committee members asked about economic impacts, federal exemptions and the system's nondiscrimination safeguards. Salozzi told Representative White that E‑Verify "is nondiscriminatory. It does not check citizenship status. It does not check race or national origin. It applies to all new hires, both citizens and noncitizens," and he said the bill reiterates federal antidiscrimination language.
Representative McNally asked about federal exemptions (for short contracts or lower‑value contracts) and whether the state bill should mirror them. Salozzi said the bill incorporates much of the federal E‑Verify program by reference but was intentionally tailored to construction; he said he would review specific federal exemption language and added that penalties were narrowed to focus on the most egregious violators following an attorney general investigation.
No committee vote was taken; the hearing was recorded as a second hearing on the bill. Written testimony was also submitted for the committee record.
