Ahead of a Senate hearing on an E-Verify proposal, a key Republican lawmaker Monday filed potential changes that would significantly narrow a bill that seeks to require immigration checks for new employees.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, is scheduled Tuesday to consider a controversial proposal (SB 664) that would mandate all public and private employers use E-Verify, a federal program that checks the legal eligibility of new workers. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, is the strictest E-Verify proposal filed in the Legislature.
Simmons is seeking to exclude farmers and agricultural employers, including those who hire, solicit and transport seasonal migrant workers, from the mandate. Simmons’ proposed changes would also expand the definition of public contractors and subcontractors to clarify that they need to have 10 employees or more to be required to use E-Verify.
Furthermore, the proposed amendment would give extra protection to subcontractors by requiring them to have public contracts that exceed $65,000 before the E-Verify mandate kicks in.
Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, has also filed six amendments to the E-Verify bill ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, including one that would require employers to disclose they use E-Verify in both English and Spanish.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has made the immigration proposal a top priority during this year’s legislative session. The governor does not support any private business exemptions, according to his office.
Sen. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican who is chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, last month pushed members of the party to take a formal position on a resolution backing the governor’s stance. Gruters and state Rep. Cord Byrd, R-Neptune Beach, have filed two other proposals that would include exemptions for private employers.
Changes Sought for E-Verify Proposal added by The News Service of Florida on
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No surprise its the same republicans that want to build the wall and refuse immigrants that will also limit e-verify to help out their base.
Ok folks, I’m all for The Wall, stopping illegal immigration, and all that, but as a small business owner, I’ve got to tell you that E-Verify is clearly NOT what you think it is.
1. You can only use E-Verify to verify recent hires. You cannot pre-screen an applicant for employment using E-Verify, and you can’t screen existing employees.
2. So, you plug in the employee’s data, and the system comes back with “EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZED” or “TENTATIVE NONCONFIRMATION (TNC)”.
3. If “TENTATIVE NONCONFIRMATION”, the employee has a couple weeks to contact SSA/DHS and provide additional information. Then, if still not good, they can go through an appeals process that can last for months, during which:
4. “Your employer cannot take adverse action against you—including terminating employment, suspending employment, withholding pay or training, delaying a start date, or otherwise limiting employment—because of your decision to contest a TNC or because your E-Verify case is still pending with DHS or SSA”
5.When the appeals run out, E-Verify issues a “FINAL NONCONFIRMATION”, after which the employer “may” terminate the employee. However, termination is not mandatory, and no one from DHS follows up or anything like that.
6. In short, the E-Verify system is a watered-down straw-man. The paperwork and training required is ridiculous. I file my own federal and state payroll taxes, no sweat, but I struggled to pass the test required to enable my E-Verify account.
But don’t take my word for it! Read the 150 page user manual yourself, here:
https://www.e-verify.gov/book/export/html/2113
James, that sounds like a typical government “obfuscate-and complicate” program. No doubt it was designed that way on purpose, so the politicians in the pockets of big FL corporations could make it generally ineffective and keep collecting “donations”. I’ve had careers in both private-sector and government employment, and if you want something made inefficient, complicated, and slow, then have it designed and written by a government entity.
My proposed E-Verify slogan: “Make it Easy, make it Fast, and make it Mandatory.”
If these RINO’s get their way and disrespect Governor DeSantis I’m seeing a golden opportunity for many real conservative Republicans to kick those same RONO’s Lard Brick Butts to the curb the next election cycle.
Yeah we wont mind paying .10 cents a pound more for tomatoes.
Very simple. How about having a Web Site that the Business Owners can get on, create a Profile and be able to go on there any time to do an E-Verify for FREE? THEN you can say: “Either E-Verify or get shut DOWN”.
These bills are head-fakes by cynical pols who think we are morons.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/scott-maxwell-commentary/os-op-florida-immigration-e-verify-republican-lies-scott-maxwell-20200114-7g5igmy7kvg4jjngkv3armffu4-story.html
I totally understand our elected “Republican” Nannys resistance to E-VERIFY.
If you or me were elected officials and Disney, Big Agriculture, and other business interests lined our pockets with fatty campaign contributions and other “benifits” we too would vote and lobby against the best interests of our country – our State – our districts – our counties – our cities – our families – and our friends.
So here’s a big “we understand” to Senate President Bill Galvano and his fellow E-VERIFY resisters.
We understand you dirty spinless RINO’s.
Totally agree and on same page!