Senate OKs Proof of Citizenship, Legal Residency for New Drivers Licenses

SACRAMENTO — The Senate passed legislation Thursday requiring that all first-time applicants for California drivers licenses produce evidence that they are citizens or legal residents of the United States.

Proponents of the measure said that illegal immigrants can use their California drivers licenses as identification to qualify for government services that otherwise would be barred to them.

Although the bill was considered part of a movement in the Legislature to take a harder line toward illegal immigrants, it provoked only one opposing Senate speech. Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) denounced the bill, saying that it would intensify efforts to divide Californians along racial and ethnic lines.

Sen. Quentin L. Kopp (I-San Francisco), a supporter, said the bill cleared the Senate without more of a floor fight because it was an example of a “logical and not malicious” piece of legislation.

The bill, approved on a 22-7 vote and sent to the Assembly, would apply to drivers licenses as well as to state identification cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

To obtain a drivers license, an applicant must now provide a Social Security number, age, mailing address and a thumbprint. But applicants are not questioned about citizenship or legal residency.

Under the bill, failure to produce evidence of such status would be grounds for denying a license or a DMV ID card to new applicants. They would be required to show a birth certificate, a U.S. passport or immigration papers.

Sen. Alfred E. Alquist (D-San Jose), the author of the bill, told the Senate that in addition to identifying a driver, a California license can be used as a passport to get around restrictions on benefits.