Supporters tell Senate committee Sub. H.B. 246 would require E‑Verify for commercial construction hires

Matt Salozi of ACT Ohio told the Senate Workforce Development Committee during a third hearing that Sub. H.B. 246, as currently drafted, would narrow prior proposals and require use of the federal E‑Verify system for workers on commercial, industrial and heavy‑highway construction projects.

Salozi said E‑Verify is an Internet‑based system jointly administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration that returns an employment‑eligibility response in about three to five seconds. "This is not, I wanna be clear here, this is not a check on citizenship or immigration status, but merely a confirmation of the employee's eligibility to work in The United States Of America," he told the committee and noted that employers already complete the federal I‑9 form.

Salozi cited a presentation at a recent forum of the National Conference of State Legislatures saying that states with mandatory E‑Verify for all employers have seen unauthorized job‑seeking reduced by as much as 83 percent. He described E‑Verify as "free," "extremely accurate" and "proven to work," and said the measure would help protect jobs for authorized workers and level the playing field for Ohio‑based contractors.

The witness said the bill has been narrowed from earlier General Assembly versions that applied more broadly; the current scope excludes single‑family residences, duplexes and triplexes and focuses on larger‑scale commercial and heavy‑highway projects. Other exemptions for agricultural work were also referenced during questioning.

On responsibility, Salozi said compliance would rest with the employer who completes and accepts the I‑9 and, as an additional step, submits that data to E‑Verify. "Whoever is responsible for filling out and accepting the administrative forms including the I‑9 form ... typically would be who would submit that to E‑Verify," he said, noting small contractors often perform those administrative duties themselves.

Salozi told senators the bill would give the Ohio Attorney General additional investigative tools and allow local law enforcement to assist when appropriate; he distinguished periodic AG reviews of state agencies' contract language from investigations of alleged violations, which he said would require a sufficient factual basis to proceed.

Salozi also told the committee the bill would apply prospectively to new hires after any effective date and would not require retroactive checks of current employees.

Chairman Kaler noted written testimony submitted by Kelly Lipinski of the United Association. The committee recorded Sub. H.B. 246 as having its third hearing; no vote or formal action was taken at the meeting.