Thread: Ritter vetoes bill aimed at making it easier to get driver's

Ritter vetoes bill aimed at making it easier to get driver's license

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News
June 1, 2007

Gov. Bill Ritter on Friday vetoed six bills, including a measure that critics said would have made it easier for illegal immigrants to obtain a Colorado driver’s license.

Ritter said it is up to the Department of Revenue, which runs the Division of Motor Vehicles, and not the legislature, to fix problems at the DMV, which last year adopted such stringent rules that legitimate Coloradans were unable to get driver’s licenses or photo ID cards.

In a letter to lawmakers Friday, he wrote: "My decision to veto this bill is based on the fact that, though its goals were laudable, House Bill 1313 would have supplanted the Department of Revenue's rulemaking authority."

Ritter said the state on Thursday formally adopted new rules that expand the types of documents the state will accept in order to issue a driver’s license, but don’t compromise security.

Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, who sponsored House Bill 1313, was disheartened by the veto.

"I’m extremely disappointed that the anti-immigration zealots managed to get their voices heard over the citizens of Colorado," she said.

The governor also nixed a bill sealing certain criminal convictions, and a bill requiring anyone using the designation "registered interior decorator" to first register with the state.

Ritter, who took office in January, has vetoed eight bills so far this session. Five of those bills were sponsored by fellow Democrats, who control the legislature.

Republicans in recent weeks have ripped Ritter for not vetoing more bills, clearly forgetting that GOP Gov. Bill Owens vetoed only five bills in his first year in office, in 1999. All were sponsored by his own party, which controlled the legislature at the time.

Monday is the deadline for Ritter to act on measures passed by the legislature.

Ritter also signed several bills into law on Friday, including a controversial health insurance bill that had divided the business community and a measure allowing voters to make a one-time request for mail ballots instead of annually having to request them.

He also signed a measure requiring casino owners to enforce the statewide smoking ban in their establishments startg XXXXX.

House Bill 1313 would have made it it easier to get a Colorado driver’s license by expanding the list of documents a person could use to prove residency and citizenship.

Supporters said the bill was necessary because the DMV has made it difficult for lawful citizens — especially the homeless, senior citizens and children of immigrants born in the country — to obtain a license or photo ID.

But critics, including Republican Secretary of State Mike Coffman and former Democratic Gov. Dick Lamm, urged Ritter to veto the measure. They said it undercut efforts to curb illegal immigration, identity theft and terrorist threats.

"I think the governor absolutely made the right move in vetoing it," Coffman said.
But he said his concern now is making sure that the rules the state approved Thursday don’t go too far.

Ritter said he understood why legislators and others pushed for House Bill 1313. And he blamed his own adminstration for not "clearly and consistently articulating my strongly held belief that a legislative fix is not the proper remedy to this problem."

Other vetoes:
Senate Bill 84, bipartisan sponsored: Requires a state board to maintain a database of all persons registering as interior designers in the state, and allows only those included in the database to use the term "registered interior designer."

Senate Bill 237, bipartisan sponsored: Modifies notice requirements for mineral estate owners when a surface developer submits an application for surface development to a local government.

House Bill 1107, Democratic sponsored: Expands the ability to petition the court to seal criminal convictions and arrests.

House Bill 1216, Democrat sponsored: Involves rules involving the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and Medicaid.

House Bill 1356, bi-partisan sponsors: Makes technical changes to the statutes governing lobbyist and campaign finance laws to conform with constitutional changes adopted under Amendment 41.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/l ... 51,00.html

Supporters said the bill was necessary because the DMV has made it difficult for lawful citizens — especially the homeless, senior citizens and children of immigrants born in the country — to obtain a license or photo ID.

Whenever they want illegals to be able to get drivers license, etc. this always seems to be a problem now. I have never in my lifetime heard of this being such a big issue UNTIL the fight for illegals came into play!!!!

Has anyone else ever heard about it being a problem for the homeless or senior citizens...financially, documentation...or any other excuse they have thrown in???

I know several of us here made calls for the governor to veto this bill...
Thanks to all that called in ... United we make a difference!!

Originally Posted by JAK

I have never in my lifetime heard of this being such a big issue UNTIL the fight for illegals came into play!!!!
Has anyone else ever heard about it being a problem for the homeless or senior citizens...financially, documentation...or any other excuse they have thrown in???
I know several of us here made calls for the governor to veto this bill...
Thanks to all that called in ... United we make a difference!!

Yes, thanks so very much! This frees up time to spend on the national front. And I agree that providing an ID to get a license has never been a problem before the invasion by illegals who now demand equal rights with citizens.

Everyone born here can supply a birth certificate. If a "homeless" person is too drunk or stoned to be able to get ahold of a copy of a birth certificate, then that "homeless" person shouldn't drive and won't need a state ID since police aren't allowed to hassle them for being homeless.

Duh