Proposed Expansion of E-Verify Requirements for Private Employers

Where This Stands

Currently Died in Rules. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Procedural history

21 actions

Jan 22, 2026SenateEnrolled
Received
Jan 16, 2026SenateCommittee
Referred to Rules
Jan 15, 2026Senate
In Messages
Jan 15, 2026HouseFloor
Passed; YEAS 80, NAYS 30
Jan 15, 2026HouseFloor
Read 3rd time
Jan 15, 2026House
Added to Third Reading Calendar

Show 15 earlier actions

Jan 15, 2026HouseFloor
Read 2nd time
Jan 13, 2026HouseIntroduced
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
Jan 12, 2026House
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (1/15/2026)
Dec 11, 2025House
Bill released to House Calendar
Dec 11, 2025House
Reported out of Commerce Committee
Dec 11, 2025HouseCommittee
Favorable by Commerce Committee
Dec 4, 2025House
Added to Commerce Committee agenda
Nov 5, 2025House
Now in Commerce Committee
Nov 5, 2025House
Reported out of Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Nov 5, 2025HouseCommittee
Favorable by Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Oct 28, 2025House
Added to Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee agenda
Oct 21, 2025House
Now in Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Oct 21, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Commerce Committee
Oct 21, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee
Oct 16, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

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

If enacted, this bill would have mandated that every private business in the state, including small businesses, implement federal employment verification procedures for all new staff starting July 1, 2026.

Who is mentioned in the record

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

Private employers

All private businesses would have been required to use the E-Verify system for new hires, regardless of their total number of employees.

What changed

Last recorded activity October 16, 2025.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

E-Verify is a federal system managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration. context

Summary

This bill would have required all private employers in Florida to use the federal system to check the employment eligibility of new hires, regardless of the size of their workforce. The legislation sought to remove the existing exemption for businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

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

Would this bill have applied to my small business?

Yes, the bill removed the exemption for businesses with fewer than 25 employees, meaning all private employers would have been required to use .

What is E-Verify?

is an internet-based system that allows an employer to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.

Why It Matters

If enacted, this bill would have mandated that every private business in the state, including small businesses, implement federal employment verification procedures for all new staff starting July 1, 2026.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededhouse1/15/2026Official roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

203

Yes

139

No

51

Present

0

Not Voting

13

Abstain

0

How they voted (203)

+ 179 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

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

policy shift100% confidence

Removal of Small Business Exemption

The bill represents a shift toward universal E-Verify compliance by eliminating the 25-employee threshold previously established in state law.

E-Verify

Connected Entities

dollar_amount80“Vote in favor of the bill”Map →

date2025-10-16“Date the bill was initially filed”Map →

organizationCommerce Committee“Committee responsible for further review”Map →

dollar_amount30“Vote against the bill”Map →

date2026-01-12“Date the bill was added to the Special Order Calendar”Map →

organizationIndustries & Professional Activities Subcommittee“Committee responsible for initial review”Map →

date2026-01-15“Date the bill was passed by the legislature”Map →

locationHouse Calendar“The schedule for bills awaiting final consideration in the House”Map →

organizationRules Committee“Committee responsible for scheduling bills for a final vote”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy75
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level