Kansas committee opens hearing on bill to require E‑Verify for all new hires starting July 1, 2025

The Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee opened a hearing on Senate Bill 196 on the proposal to require all employers to enroll in and use the federal E‑Verify system to verify employment authorization for workers hired on or after July 1, 2025.

The bill’s sponsor language, read to the committee by staff member Jason, would make it unlawful to employ or contract with an unauthorized alien and provides a state complaint-and-investigation process that can be initiated with the attorney general or a local county or district attorney. If a court finds a business entity violated the prohibition, it must file an affidavit within three days certifying it has terminated unauthorized workers; courts may then suspend business licenses—up to 30 days for a first offense, 30 days to one year for a second offense, and permanent revocation for a third offense—unless the employer can show it used E‑Verify and complied with federal law.

The bill also would require public employers to verify that contractors use E‑Verify, and would prohibit a business from claiming a Kansas state income tax deduction for wages paid to employees who are unauthorized; businesses taking deductions would be required to file an affidavit with the Secretary of Revenue about their E‑Verify usage. The presenter told the committee the E‑Verify requirement applies to employees hired on or after July 1, 2025, and does not apply…