Ga. Senate antes up on immigration reform


The Georgia Senate approved an immigration reform bill Monday that would force most Georgia businesses to make sure the workers they hire are in the U.S. legally.

The legislation, which passed 34-21 and now goes to the House, would require businesses with five or more employees to enroll in E-Verify, a federal Web-based system that screens for illegal workers.

The Republican-controlled General Assembly enacted a law five years ago that applies the E-Verify mandate to companies seeking government contracts.

GOP legislative leaders now want to expand that law to the private sector to try to curb an influx of illegal immigrants into Georgia that is driving up the costs of education, health care and law enforcement across the state.

“Illegal immigration hurts Georgia taxpayers,â€