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S.B. 39 Enrolled

             1     

IMMIGRATION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2009 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Scott K. Jenkins

             5     
House Sponsor: Brad L. Dee

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions of the Identity Documents and Verification Act.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    defines a contract in relation to verification of the federal authorization status of a
             13      new employee as an agreement for the procurement of services that is awarded
             14      through a request for proposals process with a public employer;
             15          .    provides an exception from verification of lawful presence in the country for an
             16      individual who is to receive a state public benefit under Title 49, Utah State
             17      Retirement and Insurance Benefit Act; and
             18          .    makes certain technical changes.
             19      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2009.
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          63G-11-103 (Effective 07/01/09), as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 26
             26          63G-11-104 (Effective 07/01/09), as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 26
             27     
             28      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             29          Section 1. Section 63G-11-103 (Effective 07/01/09) is amended to read:


             30           63G-11-103 (Effective 07/01/09). Status verification system -- Registration and
             31      use -- Performance of services -- Unlawful practice.
             32          (1) As used in this section:
             33          (a) "Contract" means an agreement for the procurement of goods or services that is
             34      awarded through a request for proposals process with a public employer and includes a sole
             35      source contract.
             36          [(a)] (b) "Contractor" means a subcontractor, contract employee, staffing agency,
             37      [trade union,] or any contractor regardless of its tier.
             38          [(b)] (c) "Public employer" means a department, agency, instrumentality, or political
             39      subdivision of the state.
             40          [(c)] (d) (i) "Status Verification System" means an electronic system operated by the
             41      federal government, through which an authorized official of a state agency or a political
             42      subdivision of the state may inquire by exercise of authority delegated pursuant to 8 U.S.C.,
             43      Sec. 1373, to verify the citizenship or immigration status of an individual within the
             44      jurisdiction of the agency or political subdivision for a purpose authorized under this section.
             45          (ii) "Status Verification System" includes:
             46          (A) the electronic verification of the work authorization program of the Illegal
             47      Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996, 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1324a,
             48      known as the [Basic Pilot] E-verify Program;
             49          (B) an equivalent federal program designated by the United States Department of
             50      Homeland Security or other federal agency authorized to verify the work eligibility status of a
             51      newly hired employee pursuant to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986;
             52          (C) the Social Security Number Verification Service or similar online verification
             53      process implemented by the United States Social Security Administration; or
             54          (D) an independent third-party system with an equal or higher degree of reliability as
             55      the programs, systems, or processes described in Subsection (1)[(c)](d)(ii)(A), (B), or (C).
             56          [(d)] (e) "Unauthorized alien" means an alien as defined in 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1324a(h)(3).
             57          (2) (a) Each public employer shall register with and use a Status Verification System


             58      to verify the federal employment authorization status of a new employee.
             59          (b) This section shall be enforced without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or
             60      national origin.
             61          (3) (a) Beginning July 1, 2009:
             62          (i) a public employer may not enter into a contract for the physical performance of
             63      services within the state with a contractor unless the contractor registers and participates in the
             64      Status Verification System to verify the work eligibility status of the contractor's new
             65      employees that are employed in the state[.]; and
             66          (ii) a contractor shall register and participate in the Status Verification System in order
             67      to enter into a contract with a public employer.
             68          (b) (i) For purposes of compliance with Subsection (3)(a), a contractor is individually
             69      responsible for verifying the employment status of only new employees who work under the
             70      contractor's supervision or direction and not those who work for another contractor or
             71      subcontractor, except as otherwise provided in Subsection (3)(b)(ii).
             72          (ii) Each contractor or subcontractor who works under or for another contractor shall
             73      certify to the main contractor by affidavit that the contractor or subcontractor has verified
             74      through the Status Verification System the employment status of each new employee of the
             75      respective contractor or subcontractor.
             76          (c) Subsection (3)(a) does not apply to a contract:
             77          (i) entered into by the entities referred to in Subsection (3)(a) prior to July 1, 2009,
             78      even though the contract may involve the physical performance of services within the state on
             79      or after July 1, 2009; or
             80          (ii) that involves underwriting, remarketing, broker-dealer activities, securities
             81      placement, investment advisory, financial advisory, or other financial or investment banking
             82      services.
             83          (4) (a) It is unlawful for an employing entity in the state to discharge an employee
             84      working in Utah who is a United States citizen or permanent resident alien and replace the
             85      employee with, or have the employee's duties assumed by, an employee who:


             86          (i) the employing entity knows, or reasonably should have known, is an unauthorized
             87      alien hired on or after July 1, 2009; and
             88          (ii) is working in the state in a job category:
             89          (A) that requires equal skill, effort, and responsibility; and
             90          (B) which is performed under similar working conditions, as defined in 29 U.S.C.,
             91      Sec. 206 (d)(1), as the job category held by the discharged employee.
             92          (b) An employing entity, which on the date of a discharge in question referred to in
             93      Subsection (4)(a) is enrolled in and using the Status Verification System to verify the
             94      employment eligibility of its employees in Utah who are hired on or after July 1, 2009, is
             95      exempt from liability, investigation, or lawsuit arising from an action under this section.
             96          (c) A cause of action for a violation of this Subsection (4) arises exclusively from the
             97      provisions of this Subsection (4).
             98          Section 2. Section 63G-11-104 (Effective 07/01/09) is amended to read:
             99           63G-11-104 (Effective 07/01/09). Receipt of state, local, or federal public benefits
             100      -- Verification -- Exceptions -- Fraudulently obtaining benefits -- Criminal penalties --
             101      Annual report.
             102          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (3) or where exempted by federal law, an agency
             103      or political subdivision of the state shall verify the lawful presence in the United States of an
             104      individual at least 18 years of age who has applied for:
             105          (a) a state or local public benefit as defined in 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1621; or
             106          (b) a federal public benefit as defined in 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1611, that is administered by
             107      an agency or political subdivision of this state.
             108          (2) This section shall be enforced without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or
             109      national origin.
             110          (3) Verification of lawful presence under this section is not required for:
             111          (a) any purpose for which lawful presence in the United States is not restricted by law,
             112      ordinance, or regulation;
             113          (b) assistance for health care items and services that are necessary for the treatment of


             114      an emergency medical condition, as defined in 42 U.S.C., Sec. 1396b(v)(3), of the individual
             115      involved and are not related to an organ transplant procedure;
             116          (c) short-term, noncash, in-kind emergency disaster relief;
             117          (d) public health assistance for immunizations with respect to immunizable diseases
             118      and for testing and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases whether or not the
             119      symptoms are caused by the communicable disease;
             120          (e) programs, services, or assistance such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and
             121      intervention, and short-term shelter, specified by the United States Attorney General, in the
             122      sole and unreviewable discretion of the United States Attorney General after consultation with
             123      appropriate federal agencies and departments, which:
             124          (i) deliver in-kind services at the community level, including through public or private
             125      nonprofit agencies;
             126          (ii) do not condition the provision of assistance, the amount of assistance provided, or
             127      the cost of assistance provided on the income or resources of the individual recipient; and
             128          (iii) are necessary for the protection of life or safety;
             129          (f) the exemption for paying the nonresident portion of total tuition as set forth in
             130      Section 53B-8-106 ; [and]
             131          (g) an applicant for a license under Section 61-1-4 , if the applicant is registered with
             132      the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and files an application with the state Division of
             133      Securities through the Central Registration Depository[.];
             134          (h) a state public benefit to be given to an individual under Title 49, Utah State
             135      Retirement and Insurance Benefit Act;
             136          (i) a home loan that will be insured, guaranteed, or purchased by:
             137          (i) the Federal Housing Administration, the Veterans Administration, or any other
             138      federal agency; or
             139          (ii) an enterprise as defined in 12 U.S.C., Sec. 4502; and
             140          (j) a subordinate loan or a grant that will be made to an applicant in connection with a
             141      home loan that does not require verification under Subsection (3)(i).


             142          (4) An agency or political subdivision required to verify the lawful presence in the
             143      United States of an applicant under this section shall require the applicant to certify under
             144      penalty of perjury that:
             145          (a) the applicant is a United States citizen; or
             146          (b) the applicant is:
             147          (i) a qualified alien as defined in 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1641; and
             148          (ii) lawfully present in the United States.
             149          (5) An agency or political subdivision shall verify a certification required under
             150      Subsection (4)(b) through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program,
             151      hereafter referred to in this section as the "program," operated by the United States Department
             152      of Homeland Security or an equivalent program designated by the Department of Homeland
             153      Security.
             154          (6) (a) An individual who knowingly and willfully makes a false, fictitious, or
             155      fraudulent statement or representation in a certification under Subsection (4) is subject to the
             156      criminal penalties applicable in this state for:
             157          (i) making a written false statement under Subsection 76-8-504 (2); and
             158          (ii) fraudulently obtaining public assistance program benefits under Sections
             159      76-8-1205 and 76-8-1206 or unemployment compensation under Section 76-8-1301 .
             160          (b) If the certification constitutes a false claim of U.S. citizenship under 18 U.S.C.,
             161      Sec. 911, the agency or political subdivision shall file a complaint with the United States
             162      Attorney General for the applicable district based upon the venue in which the application was
             163      made.
             164          (7) An agency or political subdivision may adopt variations to the requirements of this
             165      section which:
             166          (a) clearly improve the efficiency of or reduce delay in the verification process; or
             167          (b) provide for adjudication of unique individual circumstances where the verification
             168      procedures in this section would impose an unusual hardship on a legal resident of Utah.
             169          (8) It is unlawful for an agency or a political subdivision of this state to provide a


             170      state, local, or federal benefit, as defined in 8 U.S.C., Sec. 1611 and Sec. 1621, in violation of
             171      the provisions of this section.
             172          (9) Each state agency or department that administers a program of state or local public
             173      benefits shall:
             174          (a) provide an annual report to the governor, the president of the Senate, and the
             175      speaker of the House regarding its compliance with this section; and
             176          (b) (i) monitor the program for application verification errors and significant delays;
             177          (ii) provide an annual report on the errors and delays to ensure that the application of
             178      the program is not erroneously denying a state or local benefit to a legal resident of the state;
             179      and
             180          (iii) report delays and errors in the program to the United States Department of
             181      Homeland Security.
             182          Section 3. Effective date.
             183          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2009.


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