Nebraska Governor to Sign Mandatory E-Verify Bill

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman is expected to sign into law today LB 403, a bill that would require state and local governments to check whether new hires are eligible to work in the U.S., and to verify a person’s legal status before receiving public benefits.

The bill was introduced by state Sen. Russ Karpisek and received 44 votes with none against, although five Senators didn’t vote.

The bill will mandate the use of the E-Verify employment verification system by state and local agencies and their contractors for any new hires after October 1, 2009. Although it does not require private employers to use E-Verify, it creates certain incentives to do so. For example, a variety of economic development tax incentives will only be available to those entities that use E-Verify for new hires.

The bill also would limit eligibility for public benefits to citizens and legal residents, and would require public-benefit applicants to attest to their legal status. State and local agencies would be required to use the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program (SAVE) system, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, to check benefit eligibility. These provisions also would take effect on October 1.

See all the states that have passed mandatory E-Verify requirements.