Senate Bill 1271 Summary

• Creates the "False Impersonation for Employment Purposes Act" establishing Chapter 28 in Title 18 of Idaho Code to prohibit manufacturing and using false identification to obtain employment.

• Makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to 2 years in county jail and/or a $5,000 fine for any person who falsely verifies, publishes, or provides documentation in another person's name to gain employment.

• Makes it a felony punishable by up to 14 years in state prison and/or a $250,000 fine for willfully destroying, altering, falsifying, or stealing public documents to assist someone in becoming an employee or manufacturing false identification for employment purposes.

• Prohibits employers from knowingly hiring employees using false documentation or falsely provided written instruments; violations result in misdemeanor penalties of up to 2 years in jail and/or $50,000 fine, with courts required to terminate the falsely documented employee's employment.

• Provides an absolute defense for employers who employ an employee in good faith belief that the employee was not falsely impersonating another person and exempts employers from requirements that would violate federal or state law; takes effect October 1, 2010.