Posted on 05/26/2004 7:59:42 AM PDT by SJackson
Governor pressed to back bill giving illegals right to drive
Sacramento -- The Legislature's powerful Latino caucus says it is losing patience with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for so far failing to support compromise legislation that would let illegal immigrants obtain driver's licenses.
The 24 lawmakers will meet with Schwarzenegger on Thursday and plan to say they expect him to keep his promise to support an alternative to the driver's license bill that lawmakers repealed shortly after he won the recall election.
Setting up a possible showdown with the popular governor, the caucus, the chief advocate of allowing undocumented immigrants the right to have driver's licenses, intends to push ahead with a new bill with or without Schwarzenegger's support. And some Latino lawmakers said they may withhold their votes on his budget proposal if he does not agree to a compromise on the driver's license legislation.
"The governor will be clear after the meeting that this measure will be our highest priority, and we intend to do everything possible to ensure its passage," said Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, D-Los Angeles, who is chair of the Latino Caucus. "The governor told us it would be resolved before June; June is fast approaching."
Democratic lawmakers reluctantly agreed in December to repeal a law that would have allowed the state's 2 million undocumented workers to obtain driver's licenses after its opponents gathered enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot.
The law was signed by Gov. Gray Davis during the recall election campaign. Critics charged Davis was blatantly attempting to woo Latino voters because he had vetoed two earlier versions of the bill. Opponents of the law said it undermined immigration laws and would assist terrorists seeking to obtain identity documents.
Schwarzenegger, who had campaigned against the law, pledged upon its repeal to work on a "sensible solution" to the safety issues posed by undocumented immigrants driving on California roads and highways without licenses. But in the following six months, little progress has been made.
A spokeswoman for the governor said talks are continuing.
"We are not focused on the timing, we're focused on getting the policy right," said Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's spokeswoman.
She said there is no time line for getting a bill passed. Lawmakers who had put their faith in the governor for a prompt resolution of the issue said they are growing impatient.
"The time is now," said Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, who authored the measure and then agreed to its repeal after getting the governor's assurance that they would work together on a new bill.
"We listened very carefully to all the concerns raised by the Legislature, the governor and the public, and we're working to present a bill that is responsive to the concerns raised," he said.
Cedillo said if the governor does not sign on, he will move forward without him.
The governor's main concerns have been on security and requiring insurance.
The bill, to be introduced next week, will include background checks and a higher processing fee to avoid costs to the state and may require applicants to take citizenship classes.
The bill would also make it clear that non-citizens could not use the license to vote, serve on juries or buy firearms. There will be no distinguishing mark on the license, however, something Cedillo likens to Jews having to wear a Star of David as identification in Nazi-held Europe.
Since all motorists are currently required to have insurance, it is not clear that anything extra needs to be done in that area for illegal immigrants.
The language of the bill will also reflect polls taken by Cedillo's office that show most voters support granting a license if it gets undocumented workers into the naturalization process.
While members of the Latino Caucus have yet to meet to discuss their strategy on the bill, some are ready to resist Schwarzenegger's budget if he does not follow through.
....snip....
"Leverage -- it's what we have," Escutia said. "The governor has learned that lesson. He is quite adept at using his celebrity as leverage. My challenge is to convince Democrats to put this in the mix."
UC Berkeley political science Professor Bruce Cain said this is the first IOU that the governor is going to have to repay.
....snip....
Cedillo and supporters of the law point out that the right was on California's books for many years before it was taken away in the 1980s. New Mexico recently allowed undocumented workers to get driver's licenses, joining 17 other states.
"This is a win-win for the people of New Mexico, and we should do no less for the people of California," Cedillo said.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Aguascalientes
Baja California
Baja California Sur
Campeche
Chiapas
Chihuahua
Coahuila
Colima
Distrito Federal
Durango
Guanajuato
Guerrero
Hidalgo
Jalisco
México
Michoacán
Morelos
Nayarit
Nuevo León
Oaxaca
Puebla
Querétaro
Quintana Roo
San Luis Potosí
Sinaloa
Sonora
Tabasco
Tamaulipas
Tlaxcala
Veracruz
Yucatán
Zacatecas
Sounds like Arnold made a deal with the devil. June is less than a week away. It will be interesting to say the least.
California's nonexistant Citizen & Legal Immigrant caucus says it is just grateful that Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Aztlan, has seen fit to allow us to continue living in California so we may celebrate paying for our great culturally diversified state. Muchas gracias, Gil.
A spokeswoman for the governor said talks are continuing.... The governor's main concerns have been on security and requiring insurance.
The governor needs to stop taking the citizens' tax dollars and using them to aid and abet illegal [viva la raza] aliens before he finds himself out of a job.
Can someone tell me why they can't just use their Mexican licenses? - perfectly legal in the US
as a californian, i'd rather have them licensed and paying auto insurance than not.
too many illegals are involved in collisions and then skip the expenses, leaving us californians to pay for it. a properly insured auto would eliminate this problem.
why don't they carry their Mexican licenses?
those that have no insurance will never spend the money for insurance, with or without a license
if the state passes a law that provides licensing and the requirement for auto insurance, and the chp is allowed to enforce the law, then they will.
actually, today when an illegal who is uninsured hits another car, the state of california confiscates the car.
it would be preferable for the hittee to have the hitter insured--there'd be more money for hospital costs, etc.
('scuse me 4 making up a word there!)
they don't need a California license to buy insurance - they don't have insurance and license because they DON'T WANT TO. - again why can't they just use their own real license?
You are like the little boy pointing out that the emperor is wearing no clothes. The real issue is not about permits to drive but granting the illegals unearned trappings of citizenship.
In my state of Tennessee they're working to install a certification system in lieu of licenses because illegals come from other states to get one and swamp the system so badly citizens often waste days trying to get through it. If they don't like that "Star of David", tough!
1. Illegal aliens BROKE THE LAW to be in the U.S.
2. Jews did nothing to warrant being singled out with Stars of David other than being hated by Nazi a-holes.
There is NO comparison, Cedillo you pile of sh*t.
I hope the ADL or Wiesenthal Center or someone jumps on him for such an idiotic statement.
As I've said from the beginning of this license "debate", it's about erasing the southern border, and, more broadly, eliminating white America, not insurance or safety (thus the bit about citizenship classes). If you have a license that is indistinguishable from a citizen's license then you're an "American", period. That license will be taken as legitimate throughout the country. The idea that the government will rigorously prevent these illegals from voting is a joke. They don't enforce Social Security fraud now, what makes you think they will enforce this? And when was the last time you heard of a really good voting fraud investigation, anyway? Most voting fraud benefits the Democrats and takes place in non-white districts, a double-whammy that guarantees nothing will be done about it.
I also predict that Arnie, the Republicans, and establishment conservatives will cave on this issue, nationwide. Opposition to it will be characterized as racism and once that magic word is brought out Republicans and conservatives fall on the ground, curl up into a ball, and start sucking their thumbs.
They are correct. Therefore we must not issue ANY licenses to illegals. It will offend them.
And when he is "moving forward" and AS vetos his BS attempt to allow illegals to vote he and his buds will be screaching "discrimination."
What a load.
Key words are "polls taken by Cedillo's office". Cedillo's office consist of open borders advocates.
Ask them.
You forgot one "entitled to": LIVIN' LA VIDA LOCA! (at taxpayer expense)
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