Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes Anti-Verification Bill

Monday, October 12, 2009, 3:49 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

Gov. Schwarzenegger

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have prohibited cities, counties or districts from requiring employers who receive government contracts to use an employment verification system like E-Verify. AB 1288 was offered by Assemblyman Paul Fong and passed the State Assembly last spring and the State Senate over the summer.

Governor Schwarzenegger issued the following statement to the State legislature:

The bill would create administrative burdens for employers receiving government funds in that a June 6, 2008, federal Executive Order 12989, as amended, requires all federal contractors, as a condition of any future federal contract, to use E-Verify to verify the employment eligibility of their workers. Employers receiving government funds would be required to sort out and identify complex funding streams and comply with both the Executive Order and provisions of this and other related laws. The bill also raises the potential for increased claims and litigation by placing new requirements in the Labor Code without also defining how the requirements will be enforced. Moreover, the bill implicates constitutional questions regarding the State’s authority to impose this prohibition against charter counties and cities for matters that may constitute municipal affairs.

-- Gov. Schwarzenegger

Thanks to all the NumbersUSA Members who sent faxes to Gov. Schwarzenegger!