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Montana Senate Judiciary Hears E-Verify Mandate; Sponsor Open to Small‑employer Exemption
Summary
Senate Bill 329 would require employers to use E‑Verify for new hires; sponsor proposed an implementation delay and said he would consider an amendment exempting very small employers. Business groups and NFIB urged caution, citing burdens for small businesses and concerns about federal intrusion and enforcement mechanisms.
Senator Forrest Mandeville introduced Senate Bill 329 to the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying the measure would require employers to run E‑Verify for new employees and include an implementation delay with an effective date the sponsor described as an October 1 start. Mandeville said the bill’s goals are to reduce illegal hiring in Montana and ensure workers receive the protections of state law; he signaled openness to an amendment exempting smaller employers, suggesting a threshold somewhere in the 50–100 employee range.
Proponent Andrew Goode told the committee that the federal I‑9 system has failed to stop unauthorized hiring and that E‑Verify is a more robust…
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