HB 500 -- EMPLOYMENT OF ILLEGAL ALIENS

SPONSOR:  Davis

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
International Trade and Immigration by a vote of 10 to 0.

Currently, an employer receiving a state-administered or
subsidized tax credit, tax abatement, or loan and found to be
negligently employing an illegal alien will be ineligible for any
state-administered or subsidized tax credit, tax abatement, or
loan for a period of five years; however, the director of the
agency administering the tax credit, tax abatement, or loan may
waive the penalty for a first-time offender.  This bill removes
the waiver option.

The bill also requires any employer convicted of knowingly
accepting any state-administered or subsidized tax credit, tax
abatement, or loan while employing illegal aliens to repay the
amount of the tax credit, tax abatement, or loan within 60 days
of the conviction.  If a convicted employer does not repay the
amount due within the required 60 days, the Attorney General may
seek an injunction against the employer's business operations
until the amount is repaid.

When signing a contract for work, an employer receiving a
state-administered or subsidized tax credit, tax abatement, or
loan must execute a surety bond in the amount of the tax credit,
tax abatement, or loan to secure the required repayment in the
event he or she violates the provisions of the bill.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the current fine is an
insufficient disincentive for employers receiving
state-administered or subsidized tax credits, tax abatements, or
loans who are found to be employing illegal aliens.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Davis; Robert Lowry,
City of O'Fallon; and Missourians Against Illegal Immigration.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am