By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
The city of Hartselle is joining in a statewide effort targeted at discouraging companies from hiring illegal aliens.
The council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the state bill requiring employers verify their employee’s immigration status. The resolution comes on the heels of a letter sent from the city of Montgomery urging county commissions and city councils to urge their legislators to pass the bill.
Alabama’s proposed bill is modeled after one passed last year in Tennessee. The Tennessee bill prohibits companies from employing illegal aliens. Under the law, a company has 14 days from the time of hire to verify citizenship status. The first violation of the law results in the suspension of their business license until a time when they can prove they are no longer employing illegal aliens. For the second and subsequent incidents occurring within three years of the first offense, the business license will be suspended for one year.
There are no-fault provisions if a company is provided with false documents.
Tennessee’s act went into effect Jan. 1. It came on the heels of a similar law instituted in Arizona.