Senator Dutton Urges Legislature to Oppose AB 2076
Posted by: Jessica Austin | 06/24/2008 1:40 AM
Just got this yesterday... straight from Senator Dutton's office. I sure hope his colleagues join him in opposition of this bill.
Legislature Looks to Set Roadblock to
Employment Verification System
SACRAMENTO - Senator Bob Dutton (R-Rancho Cucamonga) is urging his fellow legislators to oppose AB 2076, a bill that is now before the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee.
"At a time when the California economy is in a down-turn and many citizens are looking for work, the Legislature is in the process of passing a bill that would remove a method of verifying the legal status of potential workers, making it easier for illegal immigrants to obtain those jobs," said Senator Dutton.
AB 2076 is a bill that would prohibit state agencies and local governments from using the federal "E-Verify" system to determine if potential job applicants are legally eligible for employment. In addition the bill would discourage private sector companies from using the system.
AB 2076 has passed the Assembly and is now under consideration by the Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, with the hearing set for Wednesday June 25.
A free and voluntary, Internet-based program used nationwide, the E-Verify system uses information from databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration, which allows employers to check the validity of information provided by the job applicant. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the E-Verify system has already identified 200,000 individuals trying to gain work who were not entitled, legally, to employment.
"With the state budget facing a huge deficit and with us looking for more ways to save taxpayer dollars, why should we prohibit using a system that is free and easily available? Not only does it save time and dollars, but it helps to protect jobs for those citizens who are here legally," Senator Dutton concluded.
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California Politics
I may not agree with the senator on cultural issues, but on this issue I agree with him. For those of us not lucky to have a Republican state senator. Contact Gloria Negrette Mcleod to encourage her to oppose this bill if you live in her district.
I am in Senator Dutton's district and am thrilled he has issued a press release opposing AB 2076. It is bad legislation and bad for California workers.
Senator Dutton, Thank you for opposing AB 2076, a bill that prohibits E-Verify use in California state and local governments and undermines its use in the private sector. There are no longer any valid excuses for allowing government or businesses to continue to hire illegal workers, not when there are so many Americans struggling to find work.
The country is moving closer to implementing workplace verification systems that will help employers hire a legal workforce, protect American workers from unfair labor competition, discourage illegal immigration, and end exploitative labor practices. Don’t take California down the opposite path by voting for AB 2076.
All Federal agencies and Congress use the E-Verify system and every federal contractor will be using it shortly. About 70,000 employers throughout the country use E-Verify, including 5,669 in California. About 1,000 new businesses sign up for the program every week. Eleven states require their government contractors to use E-Verify and many more state and local governments are passing laws to discourage illegal labor and immigration practices. Don’t support legislation that bucks the trend in the rest of the nation. Oppose AB 2076!
E-Verify has been used by employers for over 12 years. In that time, it has been studied multiple times by Congress, universities, and even the Social Security Administration. Every report has found E-Verify to be easy, reliable and effective. Employers who use E-Verify must run every applicant through the system. Everyone is treated equally. Don’t let your constituents down by voting for AB 2076.
The small percentage of false non-confirmation notices under E-Verify are due to errors in the Social Security Administration's (SSA) database. E-Verify provides applicants with instructions on how to clear up their records with SSA. E-Verify protects legal workers from unfair hiring practices, protects employers from discriminatory lawsuits, and helps clean up SSA's database. Do the right thing by opposing AB 2076.
The nice thing about E-Verify is nobody is automatically ruled out for work authorization. Everybody has a chance and time to prove that they are ultimately work authorized. If a person is not work authorized, it's not discrimination if you don't continue to employ them. That's complying with the law. Please oppose AB 2076!
When the State of Illinois passed legislation similar to AB 2076, the federal government sued the state and forced it to back down. You are asking for a federal lawsuit if you support the bill. It would be irresponsible of you to vote for the bill.