HB2489--EMPLOYMENTPRACTICES
SPONSOR: Murphy
Thisbillmodifiesprovisionsrelatingtoemploymentandcreates
newrequirementsrelatingtotheverificationoftheimmigration
statusofcertainpersons.
Theprovisionsrelatingtomunicipalsanctuarypoliciesunder
Section67.307,RSModonotapplytoqualifiedimmigrantworkers
registeredintheMissouriDepartmentofLaborandIndustrial
Relations(DOLIR)databaseestablishedbythisbill(Section
67.307).
Currently,publicemployersmustenrollandactivelyparticipatein
aFederalworkauthorizationprogram,thisbilladdsprivate
employersandbusinessentities. BeginningJanuary1,2025,an
employerorbusinessentityisrequiredtoverifytheemployment
eligibilityofeveryemployeewhoishiredaftertheemployeror
businessentityenrollsintheprogram. Iftheprivateemployer
orbusinessentityfailstocomply,itmustprovideanaffidavitas
specifiedinthebill.Ifageneralcontractororsubcontractorof
anytierknowsitsdirectsubcontractorhasknowinglyemployedan
unauthorizedalien,suchcontractororsubcontractormustreportto
DOLIR.Ifthecontractororsubcontractorfailstoreportto
DOLIR,itwillbesubjecttothesamepenaltyfortheviolationas
thedirectsubcontractor(Section285.530).
Currently,uponacourt'sfindingthatabusinessentityhas
knowinglyviolatedSubsection1ofSection285.530,thecourtmust
directtheapplicablecountyormunicipalgoverningbodytosuspend
theentity'sbusinesslicenseandotherapplicablelicensesand
exemptionsfor14days.Thebillraisesthelengthofthe
suspensionto120days.Asecondorsubsequentviolationisa
classDfelony,asisasecondorsubsequentviolationbya
businessentityawardedaStatecontractorreceivingaState-
administeredtaxcredit,taxabatement,orloanfromtheState.
(Section285.535)
Thisbillestablishesthe"ImmigrantEmploymentRegistrationand
TaxationProtectionAct".Thebilldefines,amongotherterms,
"alien"and"unauthorizedalien",andprovidesthata"qualified
immigrantworker"isapersonwho:
(1)Isanalien,butnotanunauthorizedalien,legallyauthorized
underFederallawtoacceptemployment;
(2)Hasobtainedavalidworkpermit;and (3)IsanewhireoremployedinthestateofMissouri. The
Departmentisrequiredtomaintainadatabaseorregistryof
qualifiedimmigrantworkers,andmustprovideemployerswitha
mechanismtoverifyregistrationofanyqualifiedimmigrantworker.
Aqualifiedimmigrantworkerisrequiredtosignanaffidavitof
understandingdetailingtheconditionsunderwhichtheworkermay
beemployed. Further,uponreceivingdocumentationfroma
qualifiedimmigrantworker,theemployerisrequiredtoprovidethe
documentationtoDOLIRasspecifiedinthebill,andDOLIRmust
providewrittenconfirmationoftheworker'sregistration. The
AttorneyGeneral(AG)shallenforcetheAct.Anenforcementaction
isinitiatedthroughasigned,writtencomplainttotheAGbyany
stateofficial,businessentity,orstateresident. Thebill
detailsthecourseofactiontakenbytheAGuponreceiptofa
validcomplaint. ThebillauthorizestheAGtoinformand
cooperatewiththeDepartmentofRevenueforinvestigationand
enforcementofanyadditionalcriminalliabilitiesunderChapter
143.Aqualifiedimmigrantworkerwhofailstoprovidethe
employer-requesteddocumentationrequiredtoverifywork
authorizationstatusisguiltyofaclassDfelony.Nothinginthe
sectionshallbeconstruedtoimplythestateofMissouriisan
advocateforalegalimmigrationstatusrelatingtoaqualified
immigrantworkerorworker(Section285.545).
Thisbillrequiresthatapersonwhois16yearsofageorolder
butunder18yearsofage,enrolledinasecondaryschoolasa
full-timestudent,andemployedforwagesnotbepermittedor
forcedtoworkbeyond10:00p.m.onaneveningbeforeaschoolday
whentheschoolisinsessionunlesstherequirementsofthe
sectionarewaivedbytheDirectoroftheDepartmentofLaborand
IndustrialRelations. Apersonemployedbyorworkingunderthe
directcontroloftheperson'sparentorlegalguardian,astudent
whoattendshomeschool,andafull-timestudentwhoiseligibleto
receivecreditforworkperformedduringtheschoolyearareexempt
fromthisrequirement(Section290.045).
Currently,anyStateorlocalagencyadministeringoneormore
Federalpublicbenefitprogramsisexemptfromtherequirementsof
subsections1and3ofSection650.475,whichprohibitagovernment
entity,orofficialfromrestrictingagovernmententityor
officialfromcommunicatingorprovidinginformationwithrespect
totheimmigrationstatus,lawfulorunlawful,ofanyindividual.A
qualifiedimmigrantworkerregisteredintheDOLIRdatabaseis
addedtotheexemption(Section650.475).
ThisbillissimilartoHB1515(2024);andHCSHB188(2023).