Some could face harsher penalties for hiring illegal immigra
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Some could face harsher penalties for hiring illegal immigrants
BATON ROUGE, La. Under a bill approved today by a Senate committee, contractors who hire illegal immigrants, an act that violates federal law, could face harsher penalties in Louisiana -- including the revocation of their licenses and permits.
Senator Clo Fontenot, of Livingston, told the Senate Labor Committee that state penalties were needed because federal officials weren't strictly enforcing the federal law.
Supporters say Louisiana employers can't compete with businesses that hire illegal immigrants and don't comply with the minimum wage and worker's compensation laws that are required for American workers. They also touted the bill as a way to improve homeland security.
The bill faces opposition from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and contractors' groups.
Opponents say federal laws already make it illegal to hire undocumented workers and the bill would single out contractors for a more punitive punishment than other industries could receive.
The Senate committee sent the bill to the full Senate for debate without objection. A similar measure stalled in the Legislature last year, and supporters say changes made in the committee to the bill could jeopardize its passage.
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