The bill's sponsor Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, said HB156 is intended to stop identity theft by undocumented immigrants who are responsible for most cases of Social Security fraud in Utah.
Opponents of HB156 said undocumented immigrants would easily slip through the cracks because the system would only check if an employee's Social Security number is valid, not if the correct person is using it.
"If this was really as good as [they] say, my manufacturers would use it," said Tom Bingham, Utah Manufacturers Association president. "This is a federal problem and we can't solve it."
While supporters acknowledged the system isn't foolproof, they said it is a step toward immigration control that the federal government is not taking.
- Dustin Gardiner
Would require employer verification of employee's residency
Next step: Goes to the full House.
