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H.B. 469

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Wed, Mar 2, 2011 at 12:02 PM by lerror. --> This document includes Senate 2nd Reading Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 3:46 PM by rday. -->              1     

IMMIGRATION RELATED AMENDMENTS

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: John Dougall

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Wayne L. Niederhauser

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies general government provisions to enact the Utah Pilot Sponsored
             10      Resident Immigrant Program Act.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    exempts permits under the program from certain requirements for identification;
             14      and
             15          .    enacts the Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program Act, including:
             16              .    defining terms;
             17              .    providing for the creation of the program by the governor;
             18              .    granting rulemaking authority;
             19              .    outlining how a foreign national can participate in the program;
             20              .    addressing sponsorship;
             21              .    establishing grounds for ineligibility;
             22              .    providing for the issuance of a permit;
             23              .    addressing employment and taxation obligations;
             24              .    placing restrictions on travel and permitting other requirements to be imposed
             25      on a resident immigrant;
             26              .    addressing disqualification from the program; and
             27              .    addressing penalties on sponsors.


             28      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             29          None
             30      Other Special Clauses:
             31          This bill coordinates with H.B. S. [ 70, ] 497, Utah .S Illegal Immigration Enforcement
             31a      Act, to make
             32      substantive amendments.
             33      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             34      AMENDS:
             35          63G-11-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 281
             36      ENACTS:
             37          63G-12-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             38          63G-12-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             39          63G-12-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             40          63G-12-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             41          63G-12-203, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             42          63G-12-204, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             43          63G-12-205, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             44          63G-12-206, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             45          63G-12-301, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             46          63G-12-302, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             47      Utah Code Sections Affected by Coordination Clause:
             48          76-9-1004, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             49          76-10-2901, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 26
             50     
             51      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             52          Section 1. Section 63G-11-102 is amended to read:
             53           63G-11-102. Creation of identity documents -- Issuance to citizens, nationals, and
             54      legal permanent resident aliens -- Exceptions.
             55          (1) The following entities may create, publish, or otherwise manufacture an
             56      identification document, identification card, or identification certificate and possess an
             57      engraved plate or other device for the printing of an identification document:
             58          (a) a federal, state, or local government agency for employee identification, which is


             59      designed to identify the bearer as an employee;
             60          (b) a federal, state, or local government agency for purposes authorized or required by
             61      law or a legitimate purpose consistent with the duties of the agency, including such documents
             62      as voter identification cards, identification cards, passports, birth certificates, and Social
             63      Security cards; and
             64          (c) a public school or state or private educational institution to identify the bearer as an
             65      administrator, faculty member, student, or employee.
             66          (2) The name of the issuing entity shall be clearly printed upon the face of the
             67      identification document.
             68          (3) Except as otherwise provided in Subsections (4) and (5) or by federal law, an entity
             69      providing an identity document, card, or certificate under Subsection (1)(b) or (c) shall issue
             70      the document, card, or certificate only to:
             71          (a) a United States citizen;
             72          (b) a national; or
             73          (c) a legal permanent resident alien.
             74          (4) (a) Subsection (3) does not apply to an applicant for an identification document
             75      who presents, in person, valid documentary evidence of the applicant's:
             76          (i) unexpired immigrant or nonimmigrant visa status for admission into the United
             77      States;
             78          (ii) pending or approved application for asylum in the United States;
             79          (iii) admission into the United States as a refugee;
             80          (iv) pending or approved application for temporary protected status in the United
             81      States;
             82          (v) approved deferred action status; or
             83          (vi) pending application for adjustment of status to legal permanent resident or
             84      conditional resident.
             85          (b) (i) An entity listed in Subsection (1)(b) or (c) may issue a Subsection (1)(b) or (c)
             86      identification document to an applicant who satisfies the requirements of Subsection (4)(a).
             87          (ii) Except as otherwise provided by federal law, the document is valid only:
             88          (A) during the period of time of the individual's authorized stay in the United States; or
             89          (B) for one year from the date of issuance if there is no definite end to the individual's


             90      period of authorized stay.
             91          (iii) An entity issuing an identification document under this Subsection (4) shall clearly
             92      indicate on the document:
             93          (A) that it is temporary; and
             94          (B) its expiration date.
             95          (c) An individual may renew a document issued under this Subsection (4) only upon
             96      presentation of valid documentary evidence that the status by which the individual originally
             97      qualified for the identification document has been extended by the United States Citizenship
             98      and Immigration Services or other authorized agency of the United States Department of
             99      Homeland Security.
             100          (5) (a) Subsection (3) does not apply to an identification document issued under
             101      Subsection (1)(c) that:
             102          (i) is only valid for use on the educational institution's campus or facility; and
             103          (ii) includes a statement of the restricted use conspicuously printed upon the face of the
             104      identification document.
             105          (b) Subsection (3) does not apply to a license certificate, driving privilege card, or
             106      identification card issued or renewed under Title 53, Chapter 3, Uniform Driver License Act.
             107          (c) Subsection (3) does not apply to a public transit pass issued by a public transit
             108      district as defined in Title 17B, Chapter 2a, Part 8, Public Transit District Act, that:
             109          (i) is only valid for use on the public transit system; and
             110          (ii) includes a statement of the restricted use conspicuously printed on the face of the
             111      public transit pass.
             112          (d) Subsection (3) does not apply to a permit issued under Chapter 12, Utah Pilot
             113      Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program Act.
             114          (6) This section shall be enforced without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or
             115      national origin.
             116          Section 2. Section 63G-12-101 is enacted to read:
             117     
CHAPTER 12. UTAH PILOT SPONSORED RESIDENT IMMIGRANT

             118     
PROGRAM ACT

             119     
Part 1. General Provisions

             120          63G-12-101. Title.


             121          This chapter is known as the "Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program Act."
             122          Section 3. Section 63G-12-102 is enacted to read:
             123          63G-12-102. Definitions.
             124          (1) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety created in Section 53-1-103 .
             125          (2) H. (a) .H "Foreign national" H. [ is ] , except as provided in Subsection (2)(b),
             125a      means .H an individual who is a citizen of a foreign country.
             125b      H. (b) "Foreign national" does not include an individual who is in the United States, but
             125c      who is not lawfully present in any of the states of the United States. .H
             126          (3) "Permit" means an identification permit issued in accordance with Section
             127      63G-12-204 .
             128          (4) "Program" means the Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program created in
             129      Section 63G-12-201 .
             130          (5) "Resident immigrant" means an individual who:
             131          (a) is a foreign national; and
             132          (b) is accepted into the program in accordance with Section 63G-12-202 .
             133          (6) "Sponsor" means an individual who agrees to sponsor a foreign national under the
             134      program in accordance with Section 63G-12-203 .
             135          Section 4. Section 63G-12-201 is enacted to read:
             136     
Part 2. Utah Pilot Sponsored Resident Immigrant Program

             137          63G-12-201. Creation of program.
             138          (1) (a) The governor shall create a program known as the "Utah Pilot Sponsored
             139      Resident Immigrant Program":
             140          (i) that is consistent with this chapter; and
             141          (ii) under which a resident immigrant may reside, work, and study in Utah, except that
             142      the program may not permit a resident immigrant to travel outside of the state except as
             143      provided in Subsection 63G-12-206 (1).
             144          (b) The governor shall:
             145          (i) begin implementation of the program by no later than July 1, 2013; and
             146          (ii) end operation of the program on June 30, 2018.
             147          (c) Under the program, the governor may facilitate transport to Utah for a foreign
             148      national who has been accepted into the program.
             149          (d) The governor may recommend legislation to the Legislature to address how a
             150      resident immigrant is to be treated under statutes that relate to an alien.
             151          (2) The department shall administer the program, except to the extent that the governor


             152      delegates a power or duty under the program to another state agency. Subject to Subsection
             153      (3), the department may make rules in accordance with Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
             154      Rulemaking Act, to implement the program to the extent expressly provided for in this chapter.
             155          (3) The governor may act by executive order whenever the department is authorized to
             156      make rules under this chapter. If there is a conflict between a rule made by the department and
             157      an executive order of the governor, the executive order governs.
             158          Section 5. Section 63G-12-202 is enacted to read:
             159          63G-12-202. Approval as a resident immigrant -- Sponsorship -- Ineligibility.
             160          (1) To be considered for approval as a resident immigrant for purposes of the program,
             161      a foreign national shall:
             162          (a) file an application with the department;
             162a      H. (b) at the time of filing the application be living outside of the United States;
             163           [ (b) ] (c) .H pass a health and background screening;
             164           H. [ (c) ] (d) .H provide evidence that the foreign national has not been convicted of,
             164a      pled guilty to,
             165      pled no contest to, pled guilty in a similar manner to, or resolved by diversion or its equivalent
             166      to a felony or class A misdemeanor;
             167           H. [ (d) ] (e) .H file proof of sponsorship by a sponsor who meets the
             167a      requirements of Section
             168      63G-12-203 ; and
             169           H. [ (e) ] (f) .H pay a fee established by the department in accordance with
             169a      Section 63J-1-504 .
             170          (2) A foreign national is ineligible for the program if the individual H. :
             170a          (a) is in the United States at the time of application for the program; or
             170b          (b) .H is a citizen of a
             171      country:
             172           H. [ (a) ] (i) .H designated by the United States State Department as a state sponsor of
             172a      terrorism in
             173      accordance with section 6(j) of the Export Administration Act, section 40 of the Arms Export
             174      Control Act, and section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act;
             175           H. [ (b) ] (ii) .H against which the United States has declared war; or
             176           H. [ (c) ] (iii) .H against which the United States has imposed sanctions as
             176a      listed under a sanctions
             177      program of the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the United States Department of
             178      Treasury.
             179          (3) A foreign national may appeal the denial of participation in the program as a
             180      resident immigrant in accordance with Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act.
             181          (4) (a) The department, in consultation with the governor, shall make rules in
             182      accordance with Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, that provide:


             183          (i) what constitutes passing a health screening to be eligible to be accepted into the
             184      program, except at a minimum to be eligible to participate in the program an individual may
             185      not have a medical condition that would make the individual inadmissible for public health
             186      grounds under 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1182;
             187          (ii) what constitutes a background screening to be eligible to be accepted into the
             188      program;
             189          (iii) what constitutes proof of sponsorship to be provided by the foreign national;
             190          (iv) the term for which a foreign national is considered a resident immigrant; and
             191          (v) the process of obtaining a resident immigrant permit under Section 63G-12-204 .
             192          (b) When making a rule under this section, the department shall use federal standards
             193      as a guideline to avoid unnecessary duplication and additional costs.
             194          Section 6. Section 63G-12-203 is enacted to read:
             195          63G-12-203. Sponsorship.
             196          (1) (a) An individual who is a United States citizen and a resident of Utah may sponsor
             197      a foreign national as a resident immigrant by agreeing to assume financial responsibility for the
             198      foreign national in accordance with this section.
             199          (b) An individual described in Subsection (1)(a) may sponsor:
             200          (i) two individual foreign nationals; or
             201          (ii) each individual in an association of individuals:
             202          (A) who live in the same dwelling, sharing its furnishings, facilities, accommodations,
             203      and expenses;
             204          (B) who are relatives of each other; and
             205          (C) at least one of whom is a parent.
             206          (2) The department by rule made in accordance with Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
             207      Rulemaking Act, shall establish eligibility requirements to be a sponsor, except that at a
             208      minimum the eligibility requirements shall require that the sponsor:
             209          (a) prove an income level at or above 125% of the federal poverty level; or
             210          (b) meet an alternative test created by the department that considers assets as well as
             211      income.
             212          (3) (a) The department by rule made in accordance with Chapter 3, Utah
             213      Administrative Rulemaking Act, shall define what constitutes an assumption of financial


             214      responsibility for a resident immigrant, except that at a minimum the rules shall require that the
             215      sponsor agrees:
             216          (i) to accept responsibility for any financial liability a foreign national incurs while
             217      participating in the program;
             218          (ii) to an assumption of financial responsibility for the foreign national that is
             219      equivalent to the financial responsibility that a parent has for a dependent child; and
             220          (iii) that the state may consider the sponsor's income and assets to be available for the
             221      support of the resident immigrant sponsored by the sponsor.
             222          (b) A sponsor violates this chapter if the sponsor fails to pay a financial liability of a
             223      resident immigrant that is not paid by the resident immigrant and that is subject to the sponsor's
             224      assumption of financial responsibility for the resident immigrant.
             225          (4) (a) To terminate the sponsorship of a resident alien, an individual shall:
             226          (i) notify the department; and
             227          (ii) provide evidence satisfactory to the department that the resident alien no longer
             228      resides in the United States.
             229          (b) A sponsorship is terminated the day on which the department certifies that the
             230      sponsor has complied with Subsection (4)(a).
             231          (5) A sponsor shall prove to the satisfaction of the department that a resident
             232      immigrant leaves the United States if:
             233          (a) the resident alien is disqualified from the program; or
             234          (b) the sponsor terminates sponsorship.
             235          Section 7. Section 63G-12-204 is enacted to read:
             236          63G-12-204. Resident immigrant permit.
             237          (1) The department shall:
             238          (a) create a resident immigrant permit to be issued to an individual who is a resident
             239      immigrant that:
             240          (i) is of impervious material that is resistant to wear or damage; and
             241          (ii) minimizes the risk that the permit may be forged, falsified, or counterfeited; and
             242          (b) ensure that a permit:
             243          (i) includes a photograph of the individual to whom the permit is issued;
             244          (ii) prominently states the day on which the permit expires;


             245          (iii) prominently states the type of permit; and
             246          (iv) includes a unique identifier.
             247          (2) The department shall establish the fee under Section 63G-12-202 to be adequate to
             248      pay the costs incurred to issue a permit.
             249          Section 8. Section 63G-12-205 is enacted to read:
             250          63G-12-205. Employment and taxation obligations under the program.
             251          (1) A person in the state may employ a resident immigrant.
             252          (2) A resident immigrant, or a resident immigrant's employer, shall pay all income
             253      taxes and employment taxes, fees, or charges in accordance with the program.
             254          (3) (a) The State Tax Commission shall, by rule made in accordance with Chapter 3,
             255      Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, provide a means that is effective as of the day on which
             256      the governor begins implementation of the program under which a person who receives
             257      services from a resident immigrant to withhold from compensation paid to the resident
             258      immigrant an amount to be determined by State Tax Commission rule that, as closely as
             259      possible, equals the income taxes that would be withheld under state law if the resident
             260      immigrant were an employee with a Social Security number.
             261          (b) The rules described in Subsection (3)(a) shall be substantially similar to Title 59,
             262      Chapter 10, Part 4, Withholding of Tax.
             263          (c) As part of the program the governor shall provide a method by which there is
             264      collected and remitted to the federal government the money collected that is equivalent to the
             265      income and employment taxes that would be withheld under federal law if a resident immigrant
             266      were an employee with a Social Security number.
             267          Section 9. Section 63G-12-206 is enacted to read:
             268          63G-12-206. Restrictions on activities of resident immigrant.
             269          (1) (a) A resident immigrant may not travel outside of the state without the express
             270      written approval of the department.
             271          (b) The department shall by rule, made in accordance with Chapter 3, Utah
             272      Administrative Rulemaking Act, provide a process by which a person obtains approval to
             273      travel as required by Subsection (1)(a).
             274          (2) The department may by rule, made in accordance with Chapter 3, Utah
             275      Administrative Rulemaking Act, impose other requirements to maintain the status of a resident


             276      immigrant that are consistent with this chapter.
             277          Section 10. Section 63G-12-301 is enacted to read:
             278     
Part 3. Enforcement

             279          63G-12-301. Disqualification from program.
             280          (1) A resident immigrant is disqualified from the program if after becoming a resident
             281      immigrant the individual:
             282          (a) is convicted of, pleads guilty to, pleads no contest to, pleads guilty in a similar
             283      manner to, or is resolved by diversion or its equivalent to a felony or class A misdemeanor; or
             284          (b) violates the terms and restrictions of the program.
             285          (2) In accordance with Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act, the department may
             286      bring an action to terminate a resident immigrant's participation in the program for a violation
             287      described in Subsection (1).
             288          Section 11. Section 63G-12-302 is enacted to read:
             289          63G-12-302. Penalties on sponsors.
             290          In accordance with Chapter 4, Administrative Procedures Act, the department may:
             291          (1) impose a fine on a sponsor who violates Subsection 63G-12-203 (5) not to exceed
             292      $5,000; and
             293          (2) prohibit a sponsor from sponsoring another resident alien for a period of five years
             294      for a violation described in Subsection 63G-12-203 (3)(b).
             295          Section 12. Coordinates H.B. 469 with H.B. 70 -- Substantive amendments.
             296          If this H.B. 469 and H.B. S. [ 70, ] 497, Utah .S Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act,
             296a      both pass, it is the
             297      intent of the Legislature that the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel make the
             298      following changes:
             299          (1) delete the "or" at the end of Subsection 76-9-1004 (1) S. [ (d) ] (c) .S enacted in H.B.
             299a      S. [ 70 ] 497 .S ;
             300          (2) delete the "." and insert "; or" at the end of Subsection 76-9-1004 (1) S. [ (e) ] (d) .S
             300a      enacted in
             301      H.B. S. [ 70 ] 497 .S ;
             302          (3) insert a new Subsection (1) S. [ (f) ] (e) .S in Section 76-9-1004 enacted in H.B.
             302a      S. [ 70 ] 497 .S that reads:
             303          " S. [ (f) ] (e) .S a valid resident immigrant permit issued under Section 63G-12-204."; and
             304          (4) insert a new Subsection (6) in Section 76-10-2901 amended in H.B. S. [ 70 ] 497 .S that
             304a      reads:
             305           "(6) An individual's participation in Title 63G, Chapter 12, Utah Pilot Sponsored
             306      Resident Immigrant Program Act, either as a sponsor or resident alien does not constitute


             307      encouraging or inducing an alien to come to, enter, or reside in this state in violation of
             308      Subsection (2)(c)."




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-25-11 12:54 PM




As required by legislative rule and practice, the Office of Legislative Research and General
Counsel provides the following legislative review note to assist the Legislature in making its
own determination as to the constitutionality of the bill. The note is based on an analysis of
relevant state and federal constitutional law as applied to the bill. The note is not written for the
purpose of influencing whether the bill should become law, but is written to provide
information relevant to legislators' consideration of this bill. The note is not a substitute for the
judgment of the judiciary, which has authority to determine the constitutionality of a law in the
context of a specific case.

In colonial time colonies exercised authority with regard to immigration, and in the early years
of our country both states and the federal government exercised authority with regard to
immigration. However, the purview of the federal government has expanded overtime. The
Constitution of the United States grants authority to the federal government to regulate foreign
commerce and to adopt a uniform rule of naturalization. The United States Supreme Court has
also found inherent federal authority to regulate immigration on the basis of federal sovereignty
and the power to engage in foreign affairs: this is sometimes referred to as the "plenary power,"
which in more recent years has been made subject to certain constitutional limits. See, e.g.,
Zadvydas v. Davis
, 533 U.S. 678 (2001); Fong Yue Ting v. United States, 149 U.S. 698 (1893);
Hernandez-Carrera v. Carlson, 547 F.3d 1237
(10th Cir. 2009). Federal immigration law
generally consists of both civil and criminal laws regarding admission of foreign nationals,
including the criteria and means for selection and the basis and procedure for removal;
citizenship by birth or by naturalization; criminal actions, such as transporting or harboring an
alien; and related laws such as access to public benefits, employment of unauthorized aliens,
issuance of driver licenses, etc. The key federal statute is the Immigration and Nationality Act,
8 U.S.C. Sec. 1101 et seq. (INA).

When a state regulates in the area of immigration, the issue arises of whether the state action is
preempted by federal law. To determine whether preemption exists, courts generally examine
whether the state regulation fails at least one of three tests: Is it preempted because of a
conflict with federal law? Is it preempted because federal law has so occupied the field that
states are not allowed to regulate in the area? Is there an express preemption of state action?

This bill addresses areas also addressed by federal law such as when an individual may legally
be present in the state, entry into the state, and the ability of an individual to work within the
state. The statutes enacted under this bill differ from the regulations under federal law. For
example, this bill provides a means by which a person may employ an unauthorized alien in


this state if the unauthorized alien is approved as a resident immigrant. Federal law, in 8
U.S.C. Sec. 1324a, makes it unlawful to hire, recruit, or refer for a fee, an alien for employment
in the United States knowing that the alien is an unauthorized alien. There is a high probability
that a court would find that portions of this bill are unconstitutional because they are preempted
by federal law as applied through the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution of the United
States.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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