Now we are starting

Rogers:

 

Listed all the parties he has worked with to develop SB 529.

 

(The room is packed – business, minorities, 5 camera crews – a standing room only crowd in Room 310 of the Coverdell Office Building)

 

 

INA – Section 274 – unlawful employment of aliens:  defines making employment unlawful.  Part of 1986 Immigration Reform Act.

 

Says farm labor must subscribe to this prohibition.

 

Can’t continue to employ alien once you are aware that alien is illegal

 

Section 4: Labor through contract – a person who uses any form to obtain labor of unauthorized alien – is considered to have hired the alien.

 

(one wonders why we need the bill if all of this is already illegal

 

 

USCA 8-16-1611, 1641

 

 

 

Section 1611 – ineligible for public benefits – exceptions – emergency healthcare, immunizations, etc

 

A federal public benefit – defined any grant contract loan provided by agency of United States and any post-secondary education  by appropriated funds of the United States …

 

Section 1621 – State and Local Public Benefits – important to make distinction that this is a federal issue only – if it were only a federal issue – then why did they define state and local benefits here…

 

Rogers now wants to go through the bill:

 

Calls Attorney from FAIR to the table:

 

LC185343S – Committee Sub to SB 529

 

Mike (Hefman???) – not a licensed Georgia lawyer – his comments are from perspective of federal immigration law

 

Section 2 of the Bill

 

Public Employees and Public Contracts

 

Para A – Federal work authorization program (PILOT Program) – authorizes legal status of someone already hired.  Currently called BASIC PILOT program — $150 million in federal dollars to help with this program.  (Packet to committee has docs referring to the program)

 

Tony Brown – Society for HR Mgt – “I don’t know how I lived without PILOT�.  Allows you to electronically and instantaneously verify citizenship