Legislative eNews-December 29
Local
Final Immigration Ordinance Passes
On December 27, in a specially scheduled meeting, the Beaufort County Council unanimously passed its Lawful Employment Ordinance which gives the county authority to take away a business license if the business is knowingly hiring illegal workers. The final ordinance was improved significantly over earlier drafts at the insistence of the business community because of concerns about the intent of the ordinance, burden to business operations, and legal questions. The unanimous vote was 9-0 with one member of the council not in attendance and one open council seat.
The council has not determined how or when the ordinance will be enforced and many decisions must be made at the administrative level on how to proceed. The oversight of the implementation and enforcement will fall to the incoming council which will be sworn-in on January 4, 2007. Several of the incoming council members wrote a letter asking that consideration of the ordinance be postponed until their terms begin because they will be responsible for the enforcement, but the sitting council proceeded to a final vote.
The ordinance only covers the unincorporated parts of Beaufort County. The municipalities have shown little interest in passing similar ordinances in Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort or Port Royal.
The ordinance’s effective date is January 2008. The chamber is committed to working with the new council, the county administrator and his staff to ensure that the ordinance is implemented and enforced in a fair and non-biased manner.
The see the final draft of the ordinance please go to www.bcgov.net.
Council Passes Increase in Business License Fees
In its last regularly scheduled meeting, the Beaufort County Council passed an increase in its business license fee. This is an across the board increase for all business operating within the unincorporated part of the county. Businesses will be assessed the new fee when they reapply for their 2007 licenses. Renewal letters from the county should be sent by the beginning of January 2007. The rates will be adjusted effective January 1, 2007 as prescribed by the Beaufort County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 18, Article III, Business and Professional Licenses, Section 18-68, Rate Schedule.
