By LILLIAN KAFKA
lkafka@potomacnews.com
RICHMOND -- A bill explicitly requiring state contractors to comply with federal immigration law received Senate approval on Thursday and the bill heads to the governor's office for final consideration.
The House of Delegates and Senate passed two identical bills that force state contractors to comply with the 1986 federal Immigration Reform and Control Act.
The bill doesn't punish contractors, who would be found in breach of contract if their employees don't meet federal standards for employment in the U.S. if the bill is signed into law by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
"We settled on something that would get passed," said Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, R-Woodbridge, sponsor of an original version of the bill that was significantly pared down. "We certainly should do more, but this is all the Senate is going to pass," Frederick said.
He said this bill is at least a small step in the direction of regulating the hiring of illegal aliens in Virginia.
The bill's language would be incorporated into all state contracts. Violation of the federal immigration law would constitute a breach of contract with the state.
Sen. Kenneth Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said it was too complicated for the bill to include subcontractors, even though he wanted the bill to reach that far. But primary contractors would have turned into police under that type of legislation, he said.
"The Democratic Senate is decidedly unfriendly to regulating against illegal immigrants, which is disappoint-ing," Cuccinelli said.
A number of bills targeting illegal immigrants that passed in the House of Delegates were dead on arrival in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee.
Most of them never made it near the Senate floor.
Staff writer Lillian Kafka can be reached at 804-649-8710.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement