Senator Evans urges refusal of House amendment to teacher-licensure bill requiring immigration verification

Senator Evans (Cherokee) opened debate on Senate File 22-18, saying the bill would require the Board of Educational Examiners to require proof of legal authorization to work in the United States from applicants and at renewal and would require school boards and authorities of accredited nonpublic schools to verify identity and employment when an offer of employment is accepted.

Evans said the House amendment before the Senate adds four divisions that in his view duplicate federal law and other state measures and that portions of it are outside the bill’s educational purpose. “To employ someone who has knowingly provided a false social security number or any related false documentation for the purpose of employment…is already a violation of federal law,” he said, arguing Division 1 is duplicative. He described Division 3 as specifically naming E-Verify and the SAVE program and said it replicated language in other bills. He criticized Division 4 for adding pretrial detention language that he said does not belong in an education bill.

Evans moved that the Senate refuse to concur in the House amendment and asked for a yes vote. The chair gave senators a final opportunity to speak on the amendment; seeing no further discussion, the Senate voted and “the ayes do have it.” The amendment was defeated and the Senate refused to concur in the House amendment to SF22-18.

The refusal to concur was processed on the floor; senators later ordered the clerk to message Senate File 22-18 to the House.