Bill banning contractors from hiring illegals heads to Senate floor


By Lillian Kafka

Published: February 25, 2008

RICHMOND — One locally-grown immigration-related bill that would prohibit all public contractors from hiring illegal aliens emerged from the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Monday.
If the full Senate and governor sign off on HB 1298, it will become law in July.

Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, R-Woodbridge, presented the two-sentence bill that has already received House approval. Although it is brief, it stands to change the way contracts with state and local bodies are drawn.

No contract with a public entity in Virginia can be awarded to a company that cannot prove that all employees are authorized to work in the U.S. as defined by federal law, according to Frederick’s bill. A provision to limit the bill’s reach to contracts $10,000 and up was removed. Violation of this provision would constitute a violation of the government contract.

A similar bill, SB 517, already passed through the Senate and is being considered by the House of Delegates.

Another immigration-related bill that faced the Senate Courts of Justice Committee failed to report on Monday.

HB 91, a bill by Del. Dave B. Albo, R-Springfield, would have allowed police officers to crack down on those who drive without driver’s licenses then never show up for court.

Albo said police should have the discretion to arrest and fingerprint someone driving without a license. The provision applied to people who never sought a license and those whose documents expired.
He said it was aimed at people who cannot get driver’s licenses because they are in the U.S. illegally.

“If they have no driver’s license, we have no idea who this person is,â€