A bill requiring Virginia’s state contractors to verify the legal status of newly hired employees cleared a Senate committee Monday.
The measure, introduced by Sen. George Barker, D-Prince William, would bar companies from contracting with the state for a year if they fail to register and participate in the “E-Verify” program, under which an employee’s personal information is checked against federal databases.
The federal government and 10 other states already have similar requirements for contractors.
Barker said he was “pleased that…state tax dollars will be used by companies that make sure their employees are legal when they are working on highway construction and other important projects for Virginia.”
Similar legislation is pending in the House of Delegates.
