HB 2351
AN ACT relating to prohibiting the employment of persons not lawfully
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Prohibits employers from knowingly hiring or employing individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States, making such an action a third-degree felony. The law applies to any employer with at least one employee and includes severe criminal penalties, potentially impacting businesses that may have undocumented workers. If an employer is found to have hired someone not legally present in the country, they could face significant legal consequences, including potential felony charges.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to prohibiting the employment of persons not lawfully present; creating a criminal offense. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Labor Code, is amended by adding Chapter 53 to read as follows: CHAPTER 53. PROHIBITION ON EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY Sec. 53.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Employee" means an individual who is employed by an employer for compensation. The term includes an individual (2) "Employer" means a person who: (A) employs at least one employee; or (B) acts directly or indirectly in the interests of an employer in relation to an employee. (3) "Person not lawfully present" means a person who, at the time of employment, is present in this country following the commission of an offense under Chapter 51, Penal Code. Sec. 53.002. OFFENSE: EMPLOYMENT OF PERSON NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT. (a) An employer commits an offense if the employer knowingly hires or employs a person not lawfully present. (b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third (c) It is not a defense to prosecution under this section that the employer classified the person not lawfully present as an independent contractor if the classification was not in accordance SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Aliens and related subject areas.
Haley Cornyn
Gavin L. Massingill
Shera Eichler
Jennifer Shelley Rodriguez
Ky Ash
Nora Del Bosque
Craig Holzheauser
Jacob Smith
Elizabeth Hadley
Clayton Pope
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to prohibiting the employment of persons not lawfully
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