Democrats roll out compromise driver's license bill

Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico)

September 9, 2011 Friday

By Milan Simonich / Texas-New Mexico Newspapers


SANTA FE - House Democrats today introduced a compromise bill that would allow illegal immigrants to receive New Mexico driver's licenses good for two years.

The bill is an alternative to Gov. Susana Martinez's push to stop licensing those who lack proof of immigration status.

Currently, New Mexico driver's licenses are issued for four or eight years. The compromise plan, sponsored by House Speaker Ben Lujan and Rep. Ken Martinez, would limit foreign nationals to licenses that would have to renewed every two years.

This is intended to blunt Gov. Martinez's criticism that the existing licensing law makes New Mexico vulnerable to fraud.

Illegal immigrants from as far away as Chicago have been arrested and convicted for trying to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses.

Democrats say two-year renewals would discourage such scams.

Moreover, they say, continuing the licensing system would allow hard-working New Mexico residents without immigration documents to continue driving to work.

A bloc of Democrats in the state Senate attempted a similar compromise last winter. Their bill cleared the Senate, but the House of Representatives rejected it.

House members favored the repeal that Gov. Martinez wanted.

She calls New Mexico's licensing law "dangerous," and says it compromises border and national security.

Rep. Andy Nunez, an independent from Hatch, has again introduced a bill to repeal the licensing law.

Lujan assigned Nunez's bill to two committees - labor and judiciary. This was a clear signal that Nunez will face fierce opposition from Democrats.The Labor and Human Resources Committee is chaired by Rep. Miguel Garcia, D-Albuquerque, perhaps the strongest defender of the existing licensing law. Democrats control the committee 5-4, and all of them are opponents of Nunez on this issue.

Nunez's proposal is House Bill 18.

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