The State Senate has approved what Senate Republicans called "an important measure that will make Tennessee a less attractive place to illegal aliens."
Senate Bill 1870 by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Brentwood) passed the Senate on Thursday by 27-2.
Known as the “Employer Responsibility in Hiring Practices Act”, the bill requires employers to use the Employment Eligibility Verification Basic Pilot Program to ensure that new hires are eligible to legally work in the United States.
The program is a web-based system that is operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“We are the first state in the nation to require that all employers use the Employment Eligibility Verification Program,” stated Sen. Johnson. “State government must be proactive in providing employers the tools they need to comply with federal immigration laws.”
Under the provisions of the bill, there will be no cost to the employers. If the employer does not have Internet access, they may contact the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development by telephone, mail, or facsimile to verify the employee’s employment eligibility.
“Illegal immigration is a serious problem,” said Sen. Johnson. “We are feeling the effects in our schools, in our hospital emergency rooms and with our law enforcement agencies. Our goal is to make Tennessee less attractive for illegal immigrants. This legislation is a giant step in the right direction.”
The bill must now be passed by the House of Representatives and signed by the governor before becoming law.