Unbelievable: Davis signs driver's license bill

My home state may very well turn me into a radical conservative: Davis signs driver's license bill [SacBee.com]

Beginning Jan. 1, an estimated 2 million immigrants living in California illegally will be able to apply for and obtain driver's licenses.

The controversial change was signed into law Friday by Gov. Gray Davis in a Department of Motor Vehicles office in an immigrant-heavy neighborhood of Los Angeles, culminating a years-long battle fought by immigrant-rights groups and certain lawmakers.

Twice before, Davis vetoed similar measures. Last year's version contained more security requirements than the current measure.

In that bill, undocumented immigrants who wanted to obtain a driver's license had to be in the process of becoming legal permanent residents and had to undergo criminal background checks.

This year's bill, which passed the Assembly and Senate on party-line votes, does not impose those security requirements.

But some immigrant advocates say licenses aren't just about driving and security clearances. They also convey an important symbolic quality, said Fernando Cibrian, an organizer with PICO California Project.

"There's a basic need to have an identity, to be important, to be recognized," Cibrian said. "It'll let them participate, feel better about calling the police. It will allow them to represent themselves."

12:02:19 AM    comment []  - See Also:  Politics