AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- E-VERIFY COMPLIANCE (Establishes the E-Verify compliance program which would require all non-governmental employers within the state with 3 or more employees to apply to participate in the federal E-Verify program and to agree to participate in the program, if accepted.)

S2500

2026 -- S 2500
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- E-VERIFY COMPLIANCE

Introduced By:
Senators Raptakis, de la Cruz, Paolino, and Rogers

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Labor & Gaming
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Legislative findings.
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The general assembly hereby finds and determines that:
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(1) Ensuring that Rhode Island employers employ persons eligible to work within Rhode
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Island is an issue of statewide concern.
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(2) It is in the best interest of the employers in Rhode Island for all employers to follow
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federal law as it applies to the hiring of persons who are authorized to work in the United States.
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(3) Employers who violate the federal employment laws with respect to the hiring of
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persons who are unauthorized to work in the United States, place an undue economic burden on
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employers who attempt to hire only persons who are authorized to work in the United States.
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(4) The general assembly further finds and determines that it is in the best interest of the
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state for all employers to verify the employment authorization of newly hired employees and that
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it is important that every employer in the State of Rhode Island apply for participation in the federal
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electronic employment authorization verification program, known as E-Verify, or any successor
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program for the purpose of verifying the work eligibility status of newly hired employees.
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SECTION 2. Title 28 of the General Laws entitled "LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS"
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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 6.15
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E-VERIFY COMPLIANCE
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28-6.15-1. Short title.

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This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "E-Verify Compliance Act".
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28-6.15-2. Definitions.

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As used in this chapter:
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(1) "Employee" means any individual for whom an employer is required to file a form W-
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2 wage and tax statement with the federal internal revenue service.
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(2) "Employer" means a person or business entity transacting business in Rhode Island
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who, at any time, employs three (3) or more persons to perform services of any nature and who has
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control of the payment of wages for such services or is the officer, agent, or employee of the person
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having control of the payment of wages; except that "employer" does not include the federal
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government, another state, or a political subdivision of Rhode Island or another state.
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(3) "Program" means the federal electronic employment authorization verification
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program, known as E-Verify, or any successor program, created pursuant to 8 U.S.C. §. 1324(a),
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as expanded to include all fifty (50) states in the "Basic Pilot Program Extension and Expansion
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Act of 2003", Pub. L. No. 108-156.
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28-6.15-3. Participation in the program.

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(a) Each employer in Rhode Island shall apply to participate in the program for the purpose
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of verifying the work eligibility status of each of the employer's newly hired employees by the
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following dates:
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(1) An employer with two hundred (200) or more employees shall apply to participate in
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the program no later than January 1, 2027;
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(2) An employer with at least fifty (50) employees but fewer than two hundred (200)
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employees shall apply to participate in the program no later than July 1, 2027; and
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(3) An employer with fewer than fifty (50) employees shall apply to participate in the
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program no later than January 1, 2028.
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(b) An employer shall submit an application to participate in the program no less frequently
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than every sixty (60) days until the employer is accepted into the program. An employer that is
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accepted into the program shall agree to participate in the program. An employer shall retain records
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for audit purposes that show that the employer has applied to the program and, following
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acceptance, show that the employer is an active participant in the program.
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(c) All employers subject to the provisions of this section shall notify the department of
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labor and training that the employer has complied with the provisions of this chapter, within seven
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(7) business days of making the application pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and within
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seven (7) business days of being accepted into the program pursuant to subsection (b) of this
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section. The department shall prepare and provide forms for such notification. The notification

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form provided shall:
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(1) Require the employer to provide the E-Verify company identification number issued to
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the employer upon registration; and
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(2) Be sworn and subscribed to under penalties of perjury by a representative of the
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employer. The signing and provision of any such notification, which the person knows contains
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any statement which is false or erroneous, or defective in any important particular, and which, to
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their knowledge, is intended to mislead the department, shall have committed the offense of giving
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a false document, pursuant to § 11-18-1.
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(d) The department of labor and training shall provide a list of all employers who fail to
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comply with the provisions of this section or who fail to notify the department of labor and training
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of their compliance to the Investigations Division of the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs
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Enforcement.
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(e) The department of labor and training, with the cooperation of the secretary of state,
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shall put a mechanism in place to notify each employer of the requirements of this section and how
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to comply and shall make the information available on the department's website.
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(f) An employer shall immediately terminate the employment of an employee upon receipt
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of a final notice from the Department of Homeland Security of nonconfirmation of work eligibility
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concerning such employee and after any applicable contest periods stipulated by federal law and/or
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regulation have run.
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(g) An employer who, in good faith relies on the program to verify the employment
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eligibility of its employees, shall be exempt from liability, or suit arising from any action under this
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section; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit remedies or
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relieve obligations and/or penalties under state anti-discrimination laws.
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28-6.15-4. Severability clause.

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If any provision of this chapter or the application of a provision, shall for any reason be
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judged invalid, that judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder of the chapter,
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but shall be confined in its effect to the provisions or application directly involved in the
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controversy giving rise to the judgment.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- E-VERIFY COMPLIANCE
***
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This act would establish the E-Verify compliance program which would require all non-
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governmental employers within the state with three (3) or more employees to apply to participate
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in the federal E-Verify program and to agree to participate in the program, if accepted.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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