U.S. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) on July 30 sponsored a bipartisan proposal that would provide for a temporary, state-sponsored non-immigrant pilot program to help states alleviate workforce shortages. The State Sponsored Visa Pilot Program Act of 2026, S. 5197, which is cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), would permit states to voluntarily establish state-sponsored visa programs tailored to their labor market demands, subject to approval by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Under S. 5197, state-sponsored visa holders would be ineligible for federal means-tested benefits, and they would be subject to all applicable federal, state, and local labor and tax laws. “States understand their own economic needs best, but federal rules currently determine who can live and work here,” said Sen. Kelly. “Our bipartisan bill would let Arizona and other states choose the visas they need to fill labor gaps and strengthen their local economies.”