On January 27, 2011, Rep. Cindy Acree, R-Limon, and Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, introduced HB 11-1149 - Concerning the types of documents used for verification of a person’s lawful presence in the United States in certain circumstances. This summary is published here courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association’s e-Legislative Report.
Current law requires an agency or political subdivision of the state to verify the lawful presence of each applicant 18 years of age or older for federal public benefits or state or local public benefits. The bill amends that law by requiring the applicant to provide the applicant’s social security card for inspection.
Current law requires an applicant to sign an affidavit attesting that he or she is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident or that he or she is otherwise lawfully present in the United States pursuant to federal law and the attestation is subject to the perjury laws. Instead of signing the affidavit, the bill provides that an applicant may submit for inspection a birth certificate or other documents that indicate the applicant’s lawful presence in the United States. The bill clarifies that an employer of a newly hired employee must check legally acceptable documents to verify the identity of the employee as well as check the authority of the person to legally work in the United States. Assigned to the State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee the bill is scheduled for committee review on the morning of March 3.
Summaries of other featured bills can be found here.
