HB56 Alabama 2011 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gregory Canfield

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Dan WilliamsBarry MooreEd HenryMike HubbardWes LongRichard BaughnBecky NordgrenDonnie ChesteenJohn MerrillKen JohnsonWilliam RobertsTerri CollinsKerry RichVictor GastonJack WilliamsJim McClendonDuwayne BridgesHoward SanderfordPhil WilliamsMicky HammonGreg WrenAllen TreadawayRon JohnsonJim Patterson

Session

Regular Session 2011

Title

Illegal immigrants, presence, employment, and benefits regulated, concealing, or protecting illegal aliens, prohibited, verification of legal status, penalties, Alabama Department of Homeland Security to establish E-Verify employer agent service, citizenship status of students required, eligibility and requirements for voter registration, certain business transactions prohibited, Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, Sec. 32-6-9 am'd. (2011-21101)

Summary

HB56, the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, is a broad set of laws aimed at limiting illegal immigration in Alabama by requiring citizenship verification for voting, employment, education, and public benefits and by expanding state enforcement.

What This Bill Does

It defines key terms, seeks a Memorandum of Agreement with federal immigration authorities, and requires proof of citizenship for voter registration. It bans aliens unlawfully present from receiving state or local public benefits and restricts eligibility for education benefits. It mandates employers to verify employment eligibility (including an E-Verify system) and imposes penalties for hiring unauthorized aliens, with possible license or contract consequences. It also creates crimes related to concealing unauthorized aliens, dealing in false identification, and identity fraud, and directs law enforcement to verify immigration status in certain situations and cooperate with federal authorities.

Who It Affects

• Employers and business entities (including contractors and public employers) in Alabama; they must verify employees' work eligibility through E-Verify, may face penalties, license suspensions, or contract termination for violations, and may use a state-provided E-Verify agent service for small businesses.
• Aliens not lawfully present and individuals interacting with public systems (such as students, voters, and recipients of public benefits); they face restrictions on benefits and education, voters must prove citizenship to register, and schools must verify student citizenship/immigration status and report data.

Key Provisions

• Establishes and funds an E-Verify employer agent service through the Alabama Department of Homeland Security to help small employers verify work eligibility, with mandatory enrollment for employers by 2012 and protections for good-faith participants.
• Prohibits knowingly employing an unauthorized alien; imposes penalties, probation, and possible suspension/revocation of licenses for employers and requires affidavits and compliance documentation for contracts and incentives.
• Criminalizes concealing, harboring, transporting, or dealing with false identification documents and vital records; creates related offenses and penalties.
• Requires public benefits, including education benefits, to be denied to aliens unlawfully present and requires verification of lawful presence for state/local benefits via the SAVE program (with certain exceptions and emergency provisions).
• Public schools must determine citizenship/immigration status of enrolling students and report data to the State Board of Education; annual public reports are required on the educational and fiscal impact of noncitizen students.
• Voter registration is conditioned on satisfactory evidence of U.S. citizenship; the State Election Board and Secretary of State handle evidence review, hearings, and potential appeals, with certain protections and confidentiality rules.
• Revises driver licensing and law enforcement procedures to verify immigration status during stops, detentions, or arrests and to detain or transfer unlawfully present aliens when verification fails.
• Requires law enforcement to notify federal authorities (ICE) in certain circumstances (e.g., convictions of unlawfully present aliens), and directs DHS to coordinate with federal authorities for enforcement.
• Explicitly states that the act does not implement the Real ID Act and provides severability and enforcement provisions, including reporting requirements to the Legislature.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Citizenship