Bill > SB655

This bill creates the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, which requires employers in Oklahoma to use E-Verify (an electronic employment verification system operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to confirm the work authorization of new employees. Employers must register for an E-Verify account, provisionally hire new employees, and verify their work status within a short timeframe. If an employee fails verification, the employer must not continue their employment. The bill mandates that employers keep verification records for at least three years and prohibits hiring unauthorized workers. The Attorney General will establish a complaint system to investigate potential violations, with a structured penalty system: first violations result in a warning, second violations incur a $2,500 fine per unauthorized worker, and third violations result in a $5,000 fine and potential suspension of state business licenses. Employers found in violation will be placed in a database and become ineligible for state contracts for one year. The bill also prevents local municipalities from creating policies that would impede enforcement of these requirements, and it will take effect on November 1, 2025. Importantly, the law does not apply to employees hired before its effective date or to employers already exempt from federal employment verification requirements.

Labor and Employment

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb655&Session=2600