California Bucks E-Verify Trend

As we have reported previously, states and local governments are aggressively acting in the realm of immigraation. Some states like Arizona, see, e.g., Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting, Supreme Court (2011), now require employers to use the federal E-Verify computer system to verify employment eligibility. Other states, like Alabama and Georgia, have sought to bar undocumented students from public universities. The Golden State is blazing its own path.

This weekend, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law what is known as the California DREAM act, which allows undocumented California residents to b eeligible for state student assistance programs to attend college. Governor Brown also signed Assembly Bill 1236 “the Employment Acceleration At of 2011,” which bars the state of California or any of its cities counties to require an employer (other than a government entity) to use E-Verify as a condition of receiving a government contract, applying for or maintaining a business license, or as a penalty for violating licensing or other similar laws. California employers are free to use E-Verify on a voluntary basis or as required by federal contracts.

As they say, elections matter. Do you think that these bills would have been signed into law if corprate executive Meg Whitman (Nannygate and all) had been elected Governor of California?

KJ