| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Positive | Neutral |
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
SB 374 would add a new chapter to the Government Code.
Specifically, this new chapter would require all state agencies to participate
in the E-verify program. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) would be responsible
for implementing this new chapter.
5/23/2015 update:
No changes have been made to this legislation in the House committee. The House chamber sponsor is Rep Dale.
First chamber recommendation:
The E-verify program is an electronic verification program
for employers, which is operated by the federal government. This system allows employers to determine
whether their employees are eligible to work in the United States.
This legislation would require all state agencies in Texas
to use the E-verify program to verify the information of all new employees.
From a
security point of view, E-verify will protect an agency and its information
resources from hiring a person who may not be allowed to work in this country based on their immigration status. Immigration is a complex issue that needs to be fixed from multiple angles including border security to prevent illegal immigration and removing incentives to cross the border illegally in the first place. A sensible legal immigration system would be an excellent step in the right direction on the incentive side. Preventing people who unlawfully enter the United States from finding employment in this country will also help to disincentivize illegal immigration and help to redirect people to the legal process. While enforcement of immigration law is generally within the role of the federal government, this bill represents a positive step that Texas can take to help address the issue. This bill supports limited government and personal responsibility. We support SB 374.