An Act To Ensure Fair Employment Opportunity for Maine Citizens and Legal Residents by Requiring the Use of a Federal Immigration Verification System
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §871-A is enacted to read:
§ 871-A. Public employer and public contractor; work eligibility verification
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Federal immigration verification system" means the electronic verification of the work authorization program of the federal Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, 8 United States Code, Section 1324a, known as the E-Verify program, or an equivalent federal program designated by the United States Department of Homeland Security or other federal agency authorized to verify the work eligibility status of a newly hired employee pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
B. "Public contractor" means a contractor that is awarded a contract by a public employer for the physical performance of services in the State and any subcontractor of the contractor.
C. "Public employer" means an agency or political subdivision of the State.
2. Verification required. A public employer and a public contractor shall register with and use a federal immigration verification system to determine the work eligibility status of new employees physically performing services in the State. A contract between a public employer and public contractor must contain a provision requiring the public contractor to use a federal immigration verification system to determine the work eligibility status of new employees physically performing services in the State.
summary
This bill requires every public employer and public contractor to register with and use a federal immigration verification system, currently known as E-Verify, to determine the work eligibility status of new employees physically performing services within the State.