A Suffolk County lawmaker is introducing a plan aimed at keeping business owners from hiring illegal workers.

Leg. Brian Beedenbender?s (D ? Centereach) new bill goes after anyone in Suffolk County that needs an occupational license to do business legally. Beedenbender wants those businesses to fulfill two requirements when applying for the licenses.

Under the law, businesses would have to pay all payroll taxes currently on the books and promise to only hire people who are eligible to work in the U.S.

Opponents call the bill race-baiting. Beedenbender says it?s not anti-immigrant, but pro-business.

Some contend if the bill were to become law, there would be little to no enforcement behind it. The Office of Consumer Affairs would be responsible for enforcing it, but would not do spot checks, Beedenbender says.

There is already a law on the books in Suffolk that requires businesses contracting with the county to make the same promise not to hire illegal immigrants. Beedenbender will introduce the bill Thursday.