Toughen license laws

General Assembly bills are not discriminatory toward illegal immigrants
Monday, March 31, 2008
Are Georgia lawmakers' attempts to stiffen penalties against unlicensed drivers designed to make our roads and highways safer, or are they an attack on illegal immigrants?

According to some Latino groups they are an attack on the illegals. That's nonsense.

At issue are two bills -- both would make life more difficult for people caught driving without a license. Georgia's laws against that offense are not as tough as most states, which could be one reason there are so many unlicensed motorists driving our roads.

Senate Bill 350, which has already been approved by both chambers and awaits the governor's signature, increases criminal penalties for driving without a license and ups the violation to a felony if the offender is arrested four times in five years.

House Bill 978, which the Senate will soon vote on, would impound cars of motorists who were never issued a valid driver's license. An impounded car would be released only to an owner with a valid driver's license.

This, says the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, is unfair to illegal immigrants, because they're not allowed to get a driver's license. So what? Such misguided advocates seem to believe the illegals should have access to the same rights and privileges as U.S. citizens and legal residents.

Well, they don't, nor should they. That's like saying a thief should have the same right to his stolen goods as consumers do for the goods they paid for. There is nothing wrong in denying a driver's license -- or any other privilege -- to people who are not entitled to them. And illegals are not entitled.

It's probably true, however, that the legislature's two bills will ensnare more illegals than legals, because more illegals drive without a driver's license. But that's not why H.B. 978 and S.B. 350 deserve public support.

The reason those measures should become law is because they should help protect the legal driving public. The record shows that unlicensed drivers -- illegals or not -- are among the most dangerous drivers on the road. If tougher restrictions and penalties can reduce their numbers, then the safer our roads will be.


http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/03 ... 2825.shtml