

| Legislative Watch |
California |
12/2/03-A bill before the governor would repeal SB60 allowing illegal immigrants to obtain valid driver’s licenses. For more information, see SBX3 1.
9/8/03-Gov. Gray Davis has signed a bill that allows many
illegal immigrants to obtain legal California driver’s licenses.
Under previous state law, a person who wanted to obtain a driver’s
license had to present a valid social security number. Illegal immigrants
do not have valid numbers.
SB60, written by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, allows people
who are not eligible for social security numbers to submit other documents
deemed acceptable to the state to get a driver’s license. Those documents
could include a federal taxpayer identification number or a birth certificate
from a foreign government.
The bill’s new benefits for undocumented workers would not extend to
commercial driver ’s licenses.
9/3/03-The Assembly has approved
a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain legal California driver’s
licenses.
Current state law requires a person who wants to obtain a driver’s
license to present a valid social security number. Illegal immigrants
do not have valid numbers.
Under SB60, people who are not eligible for social security numbers
can submit other documents deemed acceptable to the state to
get a driver’s
license. Those documents could include a federal taxpayer identification
number or a birth certificate from a foreign government.
The bill passed the full Assembly Sept. 2 by a vote of 44-31.
It passed the Senate June 4 by a vote of 24-14, but the Senate
must now approve the Assembly’s amendments before the bill can go to
Gov. Gray Davis for his signature.
The bill’s new benefits for undocumented workers would not extend to
commercial driver’s licenses.
It also contains other provisions, including an increase in license
fees that would generate $330 million for the state.
8/22/03-Democrats
in the Senate have put the brakes on a bill that would
allow some undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
SB60, written by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, passed the
Assembly Appropriations Committee Aug. 20 by a vote of 16-7.
Under current California law, a person who wants to obtain
a driver’s
license must present a valid social security number. People who
immigrated into the United States illegally do not have valid numbers,
and therefore
cannot get a license.
SB60 is designed to change that. Under the bill’s current text, people
who are not eligible for social security numbers can submit other documents
deemed acceptable to the state to get a driver’s license. Those documents
could include a federal taxpayer identification number or a birth
certificate from a foreign government.
The bill has been the subject of numerous amendments, which spurred concerns
on the part of Senate Democrats. Senate members said they wanted to review
all the amendments before the bill moved forward.
The bill’s proposed benefits for undocumented workers would not extend
to commercial driver’s licenses.
For bill status, call (916) 445-4251.
8/21/03-A bill that would allow illegal immigrants
to obtain legal California driver’s licenses has received approval
from an Assembly panel.
SB60, written by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, passed the
Assembly Appropriations Committee Aug. 20 by a vote of 16-7.
Under current California law, a person who wants to obtain a
driver’s license must present a valid social security number. People
who immigrated into the United States illegally do not have valid
numbers, and therefore cannot get a license.
SB60 is designed to change that. Under the bill, people who are
not eligible for social security numbers can submit other documents
deemed acceptable to the state to get a driver’s license. Those documents
could include a federal taxpayer identification number or a birth
certificate from a foreign government.
However, the bill’s new benefits for undocumented workers would not
extend to commercial driver’s licenses.
The bill also contains other provisions, including an increase
in license fees that would generate $330 million for the state.
It passed the Senate June 4 by a vote of 24-14, but still must
pass in the full Assembly. For bill status, call (916) 445-4251.






