Tennessee House Republican Caucus

E-Verify Passes the House

20-May-2011
(May 20, 2011, NASHVILLE) – On Friday, the House of Representatives took a strong stand against illegal immigration in Tennessee by passing legislation authorizing the use of the federal E-Verify system by Tennessee companies. The bill passed by a unanimous 96-0 vote.

The bill, authored by Representative Joe Carr (R—Lascassas), requires all employers with six or more employees to participate. Businesses are provided two options: the E-Verify program, which has a 97% accuracy rate, or the presentation of a valid Tennessee driver’s license to check the lawful status of an individual.

Rep. Carr stated, “I am proud to lead our State in this effort to crack down on illegal immigration. Our citizens demanded a reform to ensure job opportunities are reserved for Tennesseans and not those individuals who are here illegally.”

“The federal government has completely failed in its constitutional responsibility to ensure the integrity of our borders. Because of that, it is up to us in Tennessee to take action,” said the conservative from Lascassas. “Passage of this bill today shows we are serious about honoring our pledge to voters to make a difference when it comes to combating illegal immigration.”

In addition to providing avenues for Tennessee businesses, HB 1378 also requires the use of Drivers Licenses for 1099 non-employees to show lawful presence and provides that participation in the E-Verify program provides “safe harbor” for businesses. If a business elects to use a driver’s license instead of E-Verify the “safe harbor” provision is not available. The legislation also assesses penalties for non-compliance of E-Verify. They include $500 for a first time offense, $1,000 for a second time offense, and $2,500 for each subsequent offense. Moreover, should a business knowingly hire an illegal alien, it’s business license will be suspended.

The legislation now awaits final passage by the Senate.