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plan to say they expect him to keep his promise to support an alternative to the driver's license bill that lawmakers repealed shortly after he won the recall election.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 ...
I thought that the Jews were natural citizens of the countries they were in when they were rounded up by the Nazis.
-PJ
For race-baiting poverty pimps, no lie is too big, and no fee is too big.
Gee, I'm touched. Does this mean Cedillo supports the State of Israel? He sure isn't working for the state of California's best interests.
I was on another thread dealing with 3 assembly bills that would give even more power to harass private property owners, and add another useless commision to the state budget. I promised to email Arnie and voice my concerns. Guess I'll mention my concerns about this again. I've already emailed him about this once.
Absolutely nothing stops an illegal who is able to obtain a car to drive from getting liability insurance on that car.
You're right --- they can. As far as driving on our roads, you can present a Mexican drivers license, you have to also show proof of insurance for the car --- they can do that and as far as driving goes, they're legal even if they aren't here legally because traffic cops aren't going to check past that.
They want the US drivers license as proof of legal US residency. That gets them over the border very easily --- the most you might have to show is your US drivers license --- and it can be easily sold and reproduced and used to get anyone over the border quickly and easily.
No, deporting the illegals would eliminate the problem. That is the root problem. They are illegal.
that's not going to happen, and you know it.
there'd be riots in the streets.
the problem is, the democrats are gaining 1/2 percent voters per year. republicans want to make gains among minorities. so, rounding up illegals may sound good, but in reality, it would have the opposite effect--electing democrats to congress and the presidency.
the positive...at least he has liability insurance.
if your wife gets hit and injured, then at least there are hospital expenses.
my point above was that i'd rather that illegals be licensed and insured. why should i pay their insurance costs?
These guys are whistling past the graveyard. They have no leverage. All Ahnold has to do is tell Escutia he will take the issue to the voters and the Aztlan crowd will scurry back under their rocks.
Their man Bustamonte was humiliated in the last election.
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,
Do you really think they will not use them to pose as a citizen when it suits their needs such as voting? They'll probably use their Mexican license if they stopped and checked for insurance, that way they won't have to have insurance.
This country is on the edge of the abyss when members of Congress can use their positions threaten the churches and illegals can demand laws be passed to give them privileges that should be reserved for honest law abiding citizens .
We're on the fast track to being an "also ran" like Great Britain, the Soviet Union and other great world powers.
Well, if they get all the illegals in the same place the they can DEPORT them all cause they'll know who they are.
But my point was --- nothing at all stops them from being insured now --- except they don't choose to obey that law. And nothing stops them from using their own licenses.
As FITZ points out, they can get insurance already if they choose.
I don't foresee rioting in the streets occuring if illegals are deported. Many legal Mexican-Americans are against illegal immigration as well as other citizens.
I do agree with you however, that the objective of pandering to the illegal population is for election purposes.
I am strongy against it, but I see it as an unethical choice that the President and Republicans are choosing to use to gain advantage during this WOT.
the only thing that stops them is a traffic infraction or a collision in california.
then, the state of california confiscates the auto.
it's an unhappy situation.
we've hashed it over for the 6 years that i've been on the forum.
still, nothing happens.
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