WASHINGTON — A bill requiring public employers and contractors to register with and use the federal government's E-Verify program to determine employment eligibility, has been signed into law by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman. Bill LB 403 will become a law as of Oct. 1, according to the American Meat Institute.

The law also requires Nebraska's public employers to verify the legal status of all applicants trying to collect public benefits, directing the public employer not to provide benefits to persons illegally present in the United States. Senator Russ Karpisek sponsored the bill at the governor's request.

Although the bill does not require private employers to use E-Verify, it creates tax incentives for entities that utilize it.

Nebraska is the most recent state to mandate the use of E-Verify. Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Utah all mandate its use in some form.

The law can be found at:

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