1-502. Eligibility for state or local public benefits; documentation; violation; classification; citizen suits; court costs and attorney fees; definition

A. Notwithstanding any other state law and to the extent permitted by federal law, any agency of this state or a political subdivision of this state that administers any state or local public benefit shall require each natural person who applies for the state or local public benefit to submit at least one of the following documents to the entity that administers the state or local public benefit demonstrating lawful presence in the United States:

1. An Arizona driver license issued after 1996 or an Arizona nonoperating identification license.

2. A birth certificate or delayed birth certificate issued in any state, territory or possession of the United States.

3. A United States certificate of birth abroad.

4. A United States passport.

5. A foreign passport with a United States visa.

6. An I-94 form with a photograph.

7. A United States citizenship and immigration services employment authorization document or refugee travel document.

8. A United States certificate of naturalization.

9. A United States certificate of citizenship.

10. A tribal certificate of Indian blood.

11. A tribal or bureau of Indian affairs affidavit of birth.

B. For the purposes of administering the Arizona health care cost containment system, documentation of citizenship and legal residence shall conform with the requirements of title XIX of the social security act.

C. To the extent permitted by federal law, an agency of this state or political subdivision of this state may allow tribal members, the elderly and persons with disabilities or incapacity of the mind or body to provide documentation as specified in section 6036 of the federal deficit reduction act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171; 120 Stat. 81) and related federal guidance in lieu of the documentation required by this section.

D. Any person who applies for state or local public benefits shall sign a sworn affidavit stating that the documents presented pursuant to subsection A of this section are true under penalty of perjury.

E. Failure to report discovered violations of federal immigration law by an employee of an agency of this state or a political subdivision of this state that administers any state or local public benefit is a class 2 misdemeanor. If that employee's supervisor knew of the failure to report and failed to direct the employee to make the report, the supervisor is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.

F. This section shall be enforced without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin.

G. Any person who is a resident of this state has standing in any court of record to bring suit against any agent or agency of this state or its political subdivisions to remedy any violation of any provision of this section, including an action for mandamus. Courts shall give preference to actions brought under this section over other civil actions or proceedings pending in the court.

H. The court may award court costs and reasonable attorney fees to any person or any official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state that prevails by an adjudication on the merits in a proceeding brought pursuant to this section.

I. For the purposes of this section, " state or local public benefit" has the same meaning prescribed in 8 United States Code section 1621, except that it does not include commercial or professional licenses, benefits provided by the public retirement systems and plans of this state or services widely available to the general population as a whole.