Louisiana Passes E-Verify Bills Covering State Contractors and Private Employers

Friday, July 8, 2011, 7:48 AM EDT

Gov. Bobby Jindal

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed two pieces of legislation into law on Thursday that will require or encourage businesses to use E-Verify. HB342 requires all state and local contractors to use E-Verify, while HB646 requires all private businesses to verify the legal status of their new hires by providing employers that use it a safe harbor against sanctions.

Louisiana becomes the sixth state to pass E-Verify since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of state enforcement of E-Verify earlier this year. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Indiana have also passed E-Verify bills. Plus, Virginia passed legislation earlier this year.

HB342 was introduced by Rep. John Bel Edwards. The bill requires any business doing business with state or local governments to use E-Verify and continue using the system through the term of the contract. It also makes state contractors responsible for subcontractors that they hire as a result of the state or local contract. Contractors that don't comply with the law will lose their current contract, will face a three-year probation on future contracts, and will be required to reimburse the public entity for any costs incurred in the reassignment of the contract.

HB646 was introduced by Rep. Kirk Talbot. The bill prohibits all private employers in the state from hiring illegal aliens and sets fines for knowingly hiring illegal aliens that match current federal fines. Employers must choose to either use E-Verify or check multiple forms of identification from the new hire, which must be kept on file. The bill states that employers that chose to use E-Verify to check the status of new hires have acted in "good faith" and are protected from prosecution. Employers who are found to have knowingly hired illegal aliens face fines for the first two offenses and suspension of their business license for the third offense.

Comment:

Anyone notice how the majority of the states that are passing E-Verify laws are Southern? Not all, but most. Makes me believe that the wrong side won the Civil War. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I advocate slavery by any means. But he South seems to have a better idea how we should handle the illegals. Then again, the South is closer to Mexico, and has a bigger illegal problem than most of the North, with a few exceptions.

Now I don't need to go on with all the usual rhetoric about what we have to do about the illegals. You already KNOW what must be done. I'll just say that E-Verify is just ONE thing. It's a good thing, but it's only one. But at least it's a step in the right direction.

If we can get E-Verify in all 50 states, and not just for government jobs and government contractors, but ALL jobs, plus bar them from ALL social programs, then they will have no reason to come here. If you live near the woods, and you throw trash around your backyard, you'll be overrun with racoons, possums, and rats. Take away the garbage, and they'll stop coming.

Dan 88!