Washington Post, April 14th.

Assembly Closes the Door on Licenses
Md. Lawmakers Vote To End Issuance To Illegal Immigrants

By John Wagner, Lisa Rein and Rosalind S. Helderman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, April 14, 2009; Page B01

The Maryland General Assembly last night passed a hard-fought compromise that would end the practice of issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, capping a 90-day session in which lawmakers were greatly constrained by the state's financial challenges but passed numerous low-cost bills affecting residents' daily lives.
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Assembly Closes the Door on Licenses
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Legislative Scorecard

With barely an hour remaining before its midnight adjournment, the House voted 76 to 60 for a bill that would reconcile different solutions by the House and Senate to the challenge Maryland faces in complying with the federal security law known as Real ID. The Senate, which initially passed a more conservative approach, quickly followed with a 29 to 16 vote in favor.

Under the compromise, motorists who cannot prove they are in the country legally would be ineligible for a Maryland license as of June 1. But those who previously received licenses by providing foreign documents that lacked a U.S. visa stamp could get a one-time driving permit. The permits, which could not be used for access to federal buildings or commercial airplanes, would expire in 2015.

Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) had said he probably would call a special session on the issue if it was not resolved last night.

That bill was one of dozens debated in recent days that will bring changes to the lives of Marylanders without straining a state budget undercut by sagging tax collections amid the economic downturn.

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