LANSING -Senator John J. Gleason (D-Flushing) joined with Senate Democrats today to introduce a package of bills that would give Michigan workers priority for jobs on state-funded projects, and call for stronger penalties for those who hire undocumented workers. Sen. Gleason’s bill in the package would ensure that a local government could not approve an application for an industrial facilities exemption certificate unless the applicant promises in writing not to knowingly hire or contract with any business that knowingly hires an individual who is not authorized under federal law to work in the U.S.

“As unemployment lines keep growing longer, I’ve stood on the picket line with the hardworking men and women of Genesee County and watched as projects funded with state and federal dollars bring in out-of-state workers,” Sen. Gleason said. “Local jobs should be going to local workers, and putting Michigan residents back on the job will give a boost to the state economy, not only in the pockets of the people, but in the communities where they live, eat and shop.”

The bills in the Hire Michigan First plan call for:

• Awarding state tax breaks and other economic development incentives to companies that hire the most Michigan residents. This rule would apply to projects handled by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other state-funded programs, including the Michigan Economic Growth Authority, the Renaissance Zone Act, and others.

• Encouraging transparency and accountability by requiring companies that take economic development incentives to report on who they hire to ensure that Michigan residents are given priority.

• Discouraging the hiring of undocumented workers by canceling state contracts and tax incentives for companies that employ illegal labor, requiring them to pay back incentives they received and barring them from future contracts.

In the past year alone, Michigan has lost more than 69,000 jobs and our unemployment rate is the highest in the entire nation. While the legislature has passed several successful initiatives to attract companies to our state and grow their businesses here, Sen. Gleason and his Senate Democratic colleagues believe that we need to take that extra step to make sure those businesses are employing Michigan workers.

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