Yesterday Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a bill into law requiring Utah employers to use E-Verify to make sure their workers are legal. The bill passed both chambers of the legislature with large margins, making Utah the fourth state to require all employers to verify their workers (the others are Arizona, Mississippi, and South Carolina). Another 10 states require certain groups of employers, usually public agencies and contractors, to verify workers using E-Verify, and nine states have laws reinforcing federal law in other ways (for details, see here).
The bill attracted support from a broad base of constituencies, including a wide range of activist groups, small businesses, labor and a number of major business groups. Especially important was the strong support provided by "Tea Party" groups from around the state. All of the groups were motivated by the realization that E-Verify helps protect Utah citizens, especially children, from identity theft and fraud and that it levels the playing field for more than 1,700 employers in Utah who are currently using E-Verify while making sure that jobs go to legal workers...
