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JANUARY 17TH 2013

 

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Posts Tagged Real ID Act

A driver’s license compromise … from a Republican?

Posted by rnikolewski in News on January 17th, 2013

For more than two years, New Mexico legislators have debated, argued and sometimes hollered over rescinding the state law granting driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants.

The bills haven’t gone anywhere but a potential compromise bill based on the driver’s license model used by Utah is getting prepared by two influential state senators, including a Republican leader from one of the most conservative areas in the the state.

Sen. Stuart Ingle (R-Portales)

“We gotta get past this thing and solve the problem,” Senate Minority Floor Leader Stuart Ingle (R-Portales) told New Mexico Watchdog.

Sen. Ingle said he’s working with conservative Democratic Sen. John Arthur Smith of Deming to craft a bill that could generate enough momentum to get something through the Roundhouse and to the desk of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.

“I think this session we can get (the driver’s license controversy) out of the way,” Ingle said.

Ingle and Smith are looking into following the lead of Utah, which grants two sets of driver’s licenses: A conventional driver’s license for residents of the state and another license that has a stamp on it, marking that the license is for driving privileges only and cannot be used for identification.

“What we’re talking about is people coming into the United States illegally and getting a New Mexico driver’s license,” Ingle said. “We need to put an end to that … It’s worked well (in Utah).”

But would Gov. Martinez go for it?

New Mexico Watchdog asked her if she was open to the Utah plan and she didn’t sound enthusiastic.

“What we are open to is doing what New Mexicans want me to do,” Martinez said. “People say (rescinding the law) is controversial. It really isn’t. Most people, 70 percent say they want the law repealed. How is that controversial? That’s No. 1. No. 2, (the US Department of Homeland Security) already decided Utah does not comply with the Real ID Act.”

But only 13 states in the US have been ruled in compliance. Homeland Security sent out an update last month on the 2005 Real ID Act that passed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

There have been worries that the current driver’s license law could mean that New Mexico travelers would have to show a passport when they fly out of an airport because their state driver’s licenses would not be accepted since they would not be in compliance with the Real ID Act.

Last month, Homeland Security gave a “temporary deferment” to the states not in compliance, including New Mexico and Utah.

Ingle thinks a Utah-like compromise might have a better chance at passing.

“I don’t blame (the Governor),” Ingle said. “That’s what she’s worked on the last couple years … She’s got a few more votes in the Senate but a few less in the House.”

Would a two-tiered Utah system lead to confusion?

“I don’t think that would be too confusing, if one says ‘driving privileges only, not for identification’ and the other one doesn’t,” Ingle said. “If you can read at all, you can sure as hell tell the difference.”

In the 2011 Roundhouse session, a bill to repeal the current driver’s license law passed through the House after heated debate but died after a vote on the floor of the Senate, where Democrats had a overwhelming lead.

In the 2012 session, the Martinez-backed bill passed the House but died in a Senate committee while a compromise bill offered by Sen. Tim Jennings (D-Roswell) calling for increased fines and fingerprinting of foreign nationals passed the Senate and died in the House.

Ingle said the bill he and Smith are working on could be introduced within the next 30 days. Is that enough time to get it passed in the current 60-day session?

“If we can get an agreement on this thing, you can pass a bill through here easily overnight,” said Ingle, who’s served in the Senate for 28 years. “That’s one or two hours if you get an agreement on it.”

In addition to persuading the governor, could Ingle win over his own constituents in the Portales area, one of the most conservative districts in the state?

“I think it would work there because identification is what we’re talking about here,” Ingle said, adding, “I’d like to get something passed where we can get this driver’s license thing somewhat solved because we’re going to have the same thing every year. Are we going to have to start carrying passports as citizens of New Mexico to fly? And we don’t need to do that.”

driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, John Arthur Smith, New Mexico Watchdog, Real ID Act, Stuart Ingle, Susana Martinez, Tim Jennings, US Department of Homeland Security