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E‑Verify bill draws sharp division; business groups warn of enforcement and anonymous tips, advocates call for stronger verification
Summary
Senate Bill 329 would require employers with more than 50 employees to use E‑Verify for new hires and assign investigatory enforcement to the attorney general; proponents said the system curbs illegal hiring while business groups warned of burdens and potential abuse of anonymous complaints.
Senator Forrest Mandeville opened the hearing on Senate Bill 329, which would require employers with more than 50 employees to use the federal E‑Verify system to confirm new hires’ employment eligibility and would direct the attorney general to investigate complaints and maintain a list of violators that could bar state contracting.
Proponents said mandatory E‑Verify is an effective tool to reduce illegal hiring. Andrew Goode, a national advocate for verification policies, told the committee that E‑Verify is free, widely used and in some studies associated with sharp declines in unauthorised presence where states adopted mandates. "E Verify is an excellent system. It gets excellent reviews from employers that use it," he said.
Business groups—including the…
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