The bill H. 5279 aims to amend Section 41-8-50 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which pertains to penalties for private employers that violate employment citizenship requirements. The proposed changes include increasing the penalties for violations of Section 41-8-20 and Section 41-8-30. Specifically, the bill stipulates that for a first occurrence of a violation, employers must comply with the provisions of Section 41-8-20 immediately upon notification and will be placed on probation for one year, during which they must submit quarterly compliance reports. Subsequent violations will result in license suspensions ranging from ten to thirty days, with stricter penalties for employers with prior violations.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions regarding the duration of license suspensions and reinstatement fees. For first violations of Section 41-8-30, the suspension period is extended to a maximum of sixty days, while for second violations, it can last up to ninety days. The reinstatement fees for employers are also adjusted, with caps set at one thousand dollars for first violations and five thousand dollars for subsequent violations. The bill emphasizes the importance of compliance with federal work authorization laws and mandates that employers terminate any employees whose work authorization cannot be verified. The act will take effect upon approval by the Governor.

Statutes affected:
02/26/2026: 41-8-50
Latest Version: 41-8-50