Pa. Passes Bill Requiring Public Contractors Verify the Legal Status of Employees
- Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:12pm by
Becket Adams
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A bill that would require that public works contractors verify the legal status of their employees has finally made its way to the desk of Gov. Tom Corbett (R-PA), CBS Philly reports.
“This bill ensures that our workers aren‘t left on the unemployment lines because of workers who aren’t permitted to be here in the first place,” the bill’s author Sen. Kim Ward (R-PA) said during a Senate debate.
If signed by Gov. Corbett, public works contractors will be required by law to use the federal online “E-Verify” system. However, it’s important to note that the bill only affects publicly-funded programs. Private projects are exempt.
“The checks are aimed at making sure Social Security numbers haven‘t been stolen and that workers aren’t in the United States illegally,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
“Companies that intentionally hire illegal workers will face a variety of penalties, from a warning on the first offense to being banned from publicly funded projects for up to three years and facing fines of up to $1,000,” the report adds.
After six years of crafting, refining, and debating, Senate Bill 637 on Saturday won final approval from the Pennsylvania Senate in a 42-7 vote, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. With the bill’s passage, “state Labor and Industry Department will have to check to make sure that all contractors and subcontractors have verified that all their workers and prospective workers were born in the U.S. or are here legally,” the report adds.
But even though it passed with a heavy majority, a fistful of state Democrats (mostly from Philadelphia) still oppose the bill because, according them, it unfairly “targets” illegal immigrants.
“I believe the underlying rhetoric that we’ve heard continues a sad chapter in Americana,” said Philadelphia Democrat Michael O’Brien.
Sen. Ward argues that the bill isn’t intended to target anyone but employers who take good jobs from U.S. citizens and give them to illegals for substandard pay with no benefits.
“It makes sense that construction projects funded by public tax dollars employ workers who are taxpayers and that legal construction workers who need jobs can get them,” she said.
But not all state Democrats are against the bill. In fact, Democrat John Galloway not only defends the measure, he‘s the bill’s prime sponsor. After the bill was endorsed by a House committee, Galloway called it “a good first step” toward putting an end to public contractors “giving illegal immigrants jobs that should go to workers who are entitled to them,” The Mercury reports.
“This bill does not target illegal workers. It targets the contractors that use and abuse them for profit,” he said. “It’s about fairness. It’s about jobs.”
Here’s Rep. Ron Miller (R-PA) explaining the bill:
This story has been updated.
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Comments (82)
lb6751
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:31pmThis is a winner for PA ! This is a no-brainer and great news ! Hooray ! for Govenor Corbett !!! I voted for him and have never regretted it !
Report Post »Agnes
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 9:54pmI wish this was done in Illinois, but no chance with a corrupt, lying, fraud Democratic Chicago machine.
Report Post »jhrusky
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:10pmAssuming e-Verify works, every employer should be required to use this and fined heavily for hiring illegals.
Report Post »GulfPeg
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 6:18amYes, and I should think that if every state implements E-Verify for all government and private sector employees, they won’t be sadled with Medicaid expenses. If Obamacare goes through and states do expand Medicaid, they will eventually have to pay for ALL of Medicaid. Best way for this NOT to happen is to stop the magnet of illegal aliens, which is giving them work.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 12:17pmThis is hard to believe that this was not already a law.
Report Post »quiltgal
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:30pmI totally support this legislation. There is no cogent argument that can be made against it. Bravo PA!
Pennsylvania has been accused by people living in liberal Northeastern States like NY and MA of being slow, behind the times, out of touch. Bull. Now that Rendell is gone, PA can continue with the cautious, common sense approaches that will ultimately prevent it from the inevitable bankruptcy of the big spenders.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:35pm“There is no cogent argument that can be made against it.”
Wrong. read Frustr@ted and my post below
Report Post »mcsledge
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:20pmHowever, even though it passed with a heavy majority, a fistful of state Democrats (mostly from Philadelphia) oppose the bill because, according them, it unfairly “targets” illegal immigrants.
—
Isn’t that the idea. Does a cell phone while driving bill target bus riders? Laws are created for a reason and are expected to be enforced.
These Democrats might as well have stated we disagree with enforcing the laws of the land.
The claim is that a non-citizen is unable to vote. However, it makes you wonder because the Democrats who buy votes through welfare programs, etc. are aweful invested in keeping illegals in America.
Report Post »gingerbread
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:17pmWhy this should even be a discussion, is beyond me. Check out any country, and tell me if verifying a workers citizenship should be illegal? This is what these “F”ing liberals have brought us down to. Why would any law abiding US citizen still listen to liberals, socialists and communists, is a question that will befuddle everyone. But yet, because of the lamestream media and their hangers on, still spout all these liberal clap trap and people still listens to them.
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:12pmall illegals are criminals , why should they be rewarded with American jobs?
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:10pmCorbett & Nutters 2012. Go PA.!
Report Post »Cavallo
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:01pmUnfairly targets illegal immigrants? WTF? Unfairly targets criminals? Why.. we just can’t have a bill that enforces the law, and makes criminals feel uncomfortable..
More and more this country deserves the padded cell.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:09pmyeah..that‘s a classic isn’t “unfairly” targets “illegal” immigrants. Apparently there’s a fair way to target ILLEGAL immigrants..but asking for immigration status isn’t it. So just their word is good enough? Is that “fair”.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:53pmI dont know if turning employers into policemen is the solution. Government isnt even enforcing the laws on the books. The problem is government – not employers. Employers have a hard enough time finding good workers – now they have to worry about getting fined or put out of business by the government.
This is a tool the government will use to blackmail companies – just you watch!
Report Post »jungle J
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:34pmyou just watch..sounds hitleresqe.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 6:21pm“hitleresqe”? How about requiring companies to tell the government which private citizens shouldnt be here….isnt that Hitleresque enough for you?
Report Post »jhrusky
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 11:13pmYour comment seems a bit ridiculous (is that the intent?) If e-Verify is easy to use, and in my understanding it’s a breeze, what is wrong with requiring the employer to run the prospective employee’s information through it? Employers are filling out a lot more paperwork than that (unless they’re hiring and paying cash under the table).
Report Post »frust@ted
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:50pmUntil the govmt is willing to start to deport, this is just another expense on companies. Often these illegal workers assume false identitys that can even beat e-verify.
To those of you who are mentioning $250K fines or Jail time for employers, you do not have a complete understanding of the the problem. Many employers are not intentionally hiring illegals. There have been instances where a Legal citizen will let illegals use their SS and name to get jobs and have the illegals setup their pay go to a direct deposit account under the legal citzens control. The legal citizen then takes a cut and pays the rest. This problem is far bigger than the Day Laborers you see sitting at the home depot.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:31pm“Until the govmt is willing to start to deport, this is just another expense on companies.”
Your analysis is spot on – glad we are providing back-to-back reason to counter the hysteria. This law will not reduce illegal immigration and will not increase employment for ‘normal’ people. All this will do is scare the crap out of businesses and give the government another way to get into the companies’ business. Considering all that is going on, do we really need to give businesses another thing to be scared about or another hoop to jump through?
I bet the cops in PA arent even allowed to ask someone their immigration status – but then they require employers to rat people out….COWARDS
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:29pmFRUST:
Report Post »So that’s how Obama got his job!!! He uses 3 different SS numbers.
MrKnowItAll
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:45pmEvery time I hear of Illegals, all I can think about is Locking Up all the American Women who let these Illegals Use Them. This is the Number One Reason there are so many here. STUPID WOMAN!
Report Post »aChameleon
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:44pmI took six years to craft a bill that will allow them to enforce a law that is already on the books? No wonder people have no faith in the government.
Report Post »BeeDee
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:57pmNo, it took six years to get enough politicians with the b*lls to put the bill through.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:44pmGood for them. Of course they will now have to deal with the illegal’s advocates, primarily the federal government.
Report Post »Every state should have this law and should deal harshly with anyone who hires illegals. I think jail time and fines would be appropiate.
HappyHaloHousewife
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:43pmSee, this sounds like a great idea to me. Imagine a country where it didn’t pay to break the law! What a country that would be!
Report Post »elosogrande
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:40pmWhy won’t Pennsylvania, and very other state, require the same proof from the voting public?
Report Post »HKS
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:45pmLooks like that New York fiasco with Rangle does support that, everybody knows what’s going on at the polls, but their just to busy being politically correct to save themselves. I really don’t know who said politically correct was correct? In fact it’s wrong as hell.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:50pmActually, I’m 95% sure PA is one of the States that at the very least requires photo ID on order to vote.
Report Post »normalmom
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:56pmThat is a good point. Here in Washington state we mail in our ballots, so sadly they could find ballots.
Report Post »endthemindlessspending
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 5:09pmPA does require a photo I.D. to vote, it just passed this spring and is in effect for this election.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:33pmIf you hire an illegal alien, you should go to jail for at least 90 days and be put in the same cell as the ilegal. Then when you get out, you should be forced to drive him to the border and kick his butt back into his country…Hoping he isnt from Central America, cause that will be a problem for you….
If we would REALLY punish the people that hire them, they would leave. pretty damn simple.
Report Post »CHARACTER MATTERS
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:00pmIf I KNOWINGLY hire an illegal, I should be punished. If they provide what appears to be a valid SS card and a drivers license, how can I verify if they are not legal. I am not trained and do not have the resources to verify anyone’s identity!
Report Post »tzion
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 7:36pm@charactermatters
Report Post »If the case you mentioned occurs then the employer is a victim of fraud and shouldn’t be held responsible. He took all the necessary steps to ensure he was in compliance with the law and I’m sure any reasonable judge (they do exist) would agree.
The Sergeant Major
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:30pm“it unfairly “targets” illegal immigrants” I’m so appalled at the hate speech from the left, yes this bill targets illegals, that the true intent. If you are not here legally then you are a criminal, period! Go home and build your nation.
America has plenty of personnel that are willing to work. In 1954 Operation ******* deported over 80,000 in Texas alone. It’s time for phase II of Operation *******.
Report Post »IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:36pmIt has been quite a few years since I have worked but the government at that time required that the employer have a form filled out by all employees new and old with proof of who they were (drivers license or the like and 2 different kinds of proof). No one complained like the babies now are doing. Don’t remember the form number but seemed fair to me as all had to fill out.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:46pmIt is an I9
Report Post »tzion
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:49pmI would argue that this law FAIRLY targets illegals, or least the businesses that employ them. I think this proves that the State government are FAR more trustworthy than the Federal for dealing with domestic issues and the economy. Even the Democrats are smart enough to know that contracting to workers that hire illegals is unfair to the taxpayers. I say it’s time to repeal the 17th and give state governments a proper voice in Washington DC. Remember, it only takes the support of 34 States to call a convention to propose such an amendment after which it only takes 38 States to ratify it.
Report Post »intercepter
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:28pmwell this is a good start ,and after this go after the illegals who are here illegally ,against the law ,not legal,,whatever the label ,
Report Post »00gabooga
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:26pmI think the whole point is that it targets illegal aliens. Them and the contractors who hire them. Something tells me that a contractor who hires cheap illegal labor isn’t going to pass the savings on to his customer.
Report Post »I.Heart.America
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:24pmGreat for them!!! My state Alabama has very tough immigration laws.. similar to Arizona.
States Rights For The WIN!!!!!
Report Post »Steve28
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:24pmEric Holder will probably try and stop it!
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:44pmMy thoughts exactly!!
Report Post »caleejr
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:24pmit’s only right that taxpayers should benefit from tax funded jobs.
public sector vs. private sector. This is a step in the right direction.
Report Post »and pennsylvania bills can not have riders – they have to be titled what they are and can only pertain to the title of the bill.
Landon410
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:22pmgood
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:22pmE-verify nationwide is the only solution.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:19pmExcellent, Now they need to progress to the next step and fine any and all employers who hire illegal aliens $250,000 per offense. Its not the illegal we should be focused on but the individuals who hire and thus enable them. The individuals who exploit them in through substandard wages, no benefits, no tax payments, no workers comp, etc. in order to make undeserved amounts of money need to be treated accordingly.
Report Post »Vixen27
Posted on July 3, 2012 at 2:21pmYou are absolutely right. We wouldn‘t have a problem with illegal immigrants taking jobs from legal immigrants or citizens if employers didn’t hire illegals in the first place. Hiring illegals hurts!- the illegal immigrants get sub-standard pay, aren’t covered by insurance, and basically have no rights while legal immigrants and citizens can’t get the jobs they need. The employers are the ones keeping this going. They should be fined heavily the first time they get caught with illegals working for them and I mean a painful fine. The second time the fine should be tripled and be for each illegal there. And if necessary, exponentially increase the fines.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:19pmEric Holder’s next target.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:35pmExactly. I bet Holder has the paperwork already drawn up.
Report Post »