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Bill asks foreign drivers to prove they're legal
Valid license not enough; visa or green card needed
By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 03.31.2007
PHOENIX — Foreigners driving in Arizona on licenses from their home countries would have to prove they are here legally or risk getting a ticket under the terms of legislation given preliminary House approval.
Current law spells out that anyone driving on an Arizona road must have a valid Arizona license. But the law exempts those who have a valid license from any other state or country.
That is known as "reciprocity," a provision that says Arizonans don't need to be licensed in California to drive in that state, or in Mexico to take a vacation in Rocky Point.
HB 2475 would allow international reciprocity only if the driver presents both a valid license and "evidence that the person's presence in the United States is authorized by the federal government."
Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, said his main intent is to ensure that people who are not in the United States legally do not get to take advantage of certain programs available to motorists who get tickets. Chief among these is the ability to attend "defensive driving" classes to have a traffic citation dismissed.
But Pearce acknowledged the wording of the measure would mean that a police officer would cite a motorist who had a driver's license issued by another country but did not have a visa or green card showing legal residency.
The measure was one of three given preliminary House approval Thursday aimed at people not in this country legally.
Business license changes
A second bill, HB 2467, would prohibit any state or local agency from issuing any type of business license unless the applicant proves legal presence in the country. That would include everything from the ability to incorporate in Arizona or getting the required license to collect sales taxes to the health permits that restaurant workers need to handle food.
A third bill, HB 2460, would prohibit any state or local agency from accepting an identification card issued by Mexican consular offices.
The most immediate impact would be in communities like Tucson, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and Pima County, where officials have accepted these cards, known as Matricular Consular, as proof of identification to get services such as utilities, library cards or transportation discounts.