A bill requiring employers in the construction industry to use the federal E-Verify system to ensure that their employees don't include individuals not authorized to work in the United States has become law without Wolf's signature.

House Bill 1170, which was sponsored by state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh, is now the Construction Industry Employee Verification Act and designated as Act 75 of 2019.

Under the law, failure to use E-Verify when hiring new employees will result in action against a company's licenses required to do business, such as corporate charters and other business licenses.

"Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous employers who hire individuals not authorized to work in the United States for their construction teams," Mackenzie said in a statement Oct. 7.

"These employers and their unfair business practices hurt workers by driving down wages, create an unlevel playing field for other employers to compete against, and deprive government of revenue that would be used to fund programs like unemployment compensation."

The measure was co-sponsored by state Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, and passed the state House of Representatives on a 170-28 vote, and Pennsylvania Senate on a 46-3 vote.

"This law will not only act as a deterrent to construction companies from hiring unauthorized workers but will also hold them accountable if they do break the law," Mackenzie said. "We cannot let companies get away with unprincipled hiring practices that take jobs away from legal citizens."

Galloway said the issue brought together advocates of unionized and non-union labor.