Thread: Legislator proposes immigrant 'driving privilege' card

I read this was going to be propsed monday (yesterday) in another article.

Legislator proposes immigrant 'driving privilege' card

Thursday, February 23, 2006

TRENTON (AP) -- A New Jersey assemblyman is pushing to create a "driving privilege" card that would allow undocumented immigrants to motor legally on New Jersey roads.

Assemblyman Joseph Vas, D-Perth Amboy, is fine-tuning a bill that would allow Garden State residents to obtain drivers' licenses even if they can't prove they are legally in the United States.

The initiative aims to get around the pending federal "Real ID" program, which in 2008 will require state motor vehicle departments to verify legal residency of driver's license applicants. Drivers licenses from states that do not comply will no longer be usable as ID to board airplanes or enter federal buildings.

In anticipation, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has begun requiring new and renewing license applicants to prove legal residency.

Vas postponed a news conference scheduled for this morning in hope of melding his proposal with initiatives by Assemblyman Brian Stack, D-Union City.

Wendy Martinez, Stack's chief of staff, said such a bill is still in the discussion stage.

"We are looking to explore the possibility, but not committing ourselves," Martinez said. Stack, a member of the Assembly Transportation and Public Works Committee, "is very much concerned with guaranteeing the safety of motorist and pedestrians in a bill that would address the concerns about people driving uninsured and without a license."

Eleven U.S. states do not require proof of legal residence to obtain drivers licenses. Two, Tennessee and Utah, have introduced initiatives similar to the one Vas is considering.

Advocates say undocumented immigrants are already in the New Jersey, and driving, so it serves the interest of public safety to make sure they are also passing driving tests.

"We need to stop being hypocrites and not accepting that they are an important part of the economy of our state," said Martin Perez, president of the Latino Leadership Alliance. "If we use this labor force, we have to assume some responsibility for making sure they get to their jobs legally and safely."

Not everyone is likely to agree. Assemblyman Christopher Connors, R-Lacey Township, has reintroduced a bill to prohibit the state from granting any license, contract, loan or tax abatement to New Jerseyans who cannot prove they are legal residents.

If someone can get us his fax, phone, and email i will include it in tonight's activist email going out to the nation.

W

District 19
Assemblyman JOSEPH VAS - Democrat
District Office: 276 Hobart St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08862 (732)-324-5955
Assemblyman Vas is also the Mayor of Perth Amboy.

Could not find a fax number or an e-mail address. The state website has
a form and probably routes it to the appropriate legislator.

Originally Posted by dataman

District 19
Assemblyman JOSEPH VAS - Democrat
District Office: 276 Hobart St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08862 (732)-324-5955
Assemblyman Vas is also the Mayor of Perth Amboy.

Could not find a fax number or an e-mail address. The state website has
a form and probably routes it to the appropriate legislator.

Thanks

Point out to him that Tennessee already went that route and just suspended it.

Thanks for the Contact Info.

Ive added this to the homepage...

http://www.alipac.us/article1072.html

BUT I NEED A LINK TO THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE AND SOURCE INFO ASAP.

W

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/p ... 23008/1006

these are some other articles about the same story
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl ... 50407/1029
http://kyw.com/topstories/local_story_054101526.html
http://www.nbc10.com/news/7360820/detail.html
http://www.channel3000.com/automotive/7 ... etail.html
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ ... pnewjersey
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news ... 2677c.html
http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/ ... %20Stories

I think Assemblyman Joseph Vas is trying to get the seat in congress that now Sen. Robert Menendez had before Gov.Jon Corzine won and gave Menendez his senate seat so that could be why he is doing this.

As if its not bad enough that when you go to N.J. DMV there are foreigners taking written tests for each other, when one doesn't have the intelligence to read
Yes I was at DMV when this actually was taking place. The DMV supervisor would have looked the other way until I said I was going to report it.
Tell me how do they read street signs? Or do they not need to, because after all, Their just trying to improve their lives etc etc.
I wonder how this ASSemblymen will feel if one of his familly were run down by his "undocumented" people!

BTTT