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HR319FEDERALIN_COMMITTEE
High Impact

Legal Workforce Act (H.R. 319)

Original title: Legal Workforce Act

December 17, 2024

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Where This Stands

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

The bill requires every employer in the U.S. to verify the legal work status of all new employees through a federal electronic system, with compliance deadlines ranging from 6 to 24 months depending on business size, and establishes new civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

U.S. Employers

Must implement the electronic verification system for all new hires and reverify certain existing employees.

Job Applicants

Must provide documentation and social security numbers for verification of work eligibility.

Agricultural Employers

Subject to a delayed compliance deadline of 30 months after enactment.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill mandates that all U.S. employers use an electronic system to verify the work eligibility of every new hire. It replaces the current voluntary program with a mandatory, permanent system and increases penalties for employers who fail to comply or who knowingly hire unauthorized workers.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does this law take effect for my business?
Compliance deadlines depend on your number of employees: 6 months for 10,000+ employees, 12 months for 500-9,999, 18 months for 20-499, and 24 months for 1-19 employees.
Can I still use paper forms for I-9 verification?
No, the bill mandates the use of an electronic employment eligibility verification system.
What happens if I make a mistake in the verification process?
The bill provides a 'good faith' defense for technical or procedural failures, provided the employer attempts to correct the error within 30 days of notification.

Why It Matters

The bill requires every employer in the U.S. to verify the legal work status of all new employees through a federal electronic system, with compliance deadlines ranging from 6 to 24 months depending on business size, and establishes new civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance.

News Coverage

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Transition from Voluntary to Mandatory

The bill explicitly repeals the existing voluntary E-Verify framework in favor of a mandatory, nationwide system.

Connected Entities

organizationCongressThe legislative body that introduced and considered the billMap →
bill_numberForm I-94ARequired document for employment eligibility verificationMap →
personMr. WomackCo-sponsor of the billMap →
bill_numberemployment authorization cardRequired document for employment eligibility verificationMap →
bill_numberUnited States passportRequired document for employment eligibility verificationMap →
personMr. CalvertLead sponsor of the billMap →
personMr. NehlsCo-sponsor of the billMap →
personMr. DuncanCo-sponsor of the billMap →
organizationSecretary of Homeland SecurityThe head of the Department of Homeland SecurityMap →
bill_numberForm I-94Required document for employment eligibility verificationMap →
personMr. McClintockCo-sponsor of the billMap →
organizationU.S. Government Publishing OfficeSource of the Congressional BillMap →
personMr. Smith of New JerseyCo-sponsor of the billMap →
bill_numberpermanent resident cardRequired document for employment eligibility verificationMap →
personMrs. LeskoCo-sponsor of the billMap →

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance90
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy85
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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