Virginia Passes E-Verify - Is Maryland Far Behind?
We hate to sound like a broken record by frequently comparing Maryland to Virginia – but the Commonwealth is our closest neighbor to the south, our chief rival for private business development and our major competitor for federal projects and contracts.
Last week, Virginia became the 11th state to pass legislation that requires state agencies and employers with state contracts or receiving state funds to use the “E-Verify” system. Managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “E-Verify” is an employment verification tool that uses information from the Social Security Administration and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to determine an applicant's eligibility to work.
This session, Minority Leader Allan Kittleman has introduced “E-Verify” legislation in the Senate. Senate Bill 844 would prohibit all state contractors from knowingly or intentionally hiring an unauthorized alien, as defined in federal statute. It also requires all state contractors and any employer receiving a state grant to use the federal “E-Verify” program to verify the employment eligibility of each employee hired to work on the state procurement contract or grant. Employers who violate these terms are subject to possible suspension or revocation of any state business license they hold.
In testimony before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee last week, Kittleman said, “this bill helps both employers and employees. It helps employers to insure that they are not violating any federal immigration laws. It helps legal employees to insure that they do not have to compete against those who are not in this country legally.”
The “E-Verify” system was started by President George W. Bush and has been continued by executive order under President Barack Obama. “The fact that presidents from both parties have required adherence to ‘E-Verify’ for federal contracts proves that this is a bi-partisan, good government issue.”
For more information on “E-Verify,” visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website: click here.