INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers have sidelined a proposal that would have allowed immigrants living in the country illegally to obtain state-issued cards giving them permission to drive.
A state Senate committee had endorsed the bill in early February but it failed to advance through another committee before a deadline this week for action.
The bill aimed to establish driver privilege cards that are already issued in several other states. The proposal would have had Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issue the cards to immigrants who pass the state’s driving test, have paid Indiana taxes in the past year, submitted to a fingerprint background check and provide proof of auto insurance.
Immigrant advocates cheered the Homeland Security and Transportation Committee’s support for the bill after similar proposals introduced over the past decade were never taken up in the Republican-dominated Legislature. The bill, however, didn’t gain Senate Appropriations Committee approval, which was needed because of the BMV’s estimated $1.4 million cost to develop the new license.
Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said he appreciated the argument from bill supporters that such a program would improve safety on the state’s roadways and reduce the number of uninsured drivers.
Bill opponents raised objections to the state giving legal driving privileges to people who were not following federal immigration laws.
Republican Sen. Blake Doriot of Goshen, the bill’s sponsor, called federal immigration policy a “bipartisan screwup” for decades but said immigrants were an important part of the state’s workforce, such as in the recreational vehicle industry, which is a major employer in his northern Indiana district.
Bray said Thursday that such a policy shift sometimes takes several years to overcome legislative opposition.
“It’s an idea that I would imagine will continue to come back but just hard for some people to get there,” Bray said.
Eighteen states, including California, Illinois, New York and Utah, already have approved similar driving cards in recent years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
4 comments
These Republicans that advanced this Bill needs their heads examined and voted out next go-around.
In what world does giving Illegals “privileges” make sense?
It just incentivizes more lawlessness and one step closer to being able to vote in Indiana.
Stop acting like the mentally ill Democrats!!
This just in, Every person associated with AP News was just arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud against reality. Every single article they write is riddled with Lies even beginning with the head, such as with this article. This news is about Illegal Aliens, Not “immigrants”.
AP,Stop pushing lies, or go away.
WOWO, find another Real News Souce that you can blindly publish
Well if we are not going to send them back like we should then what can we do about unlicensed, and un insured illegal aliens driving on our roads? They have already proven they will disobey USA laws, so good luck keeping them off the streets! Non citizens cannot be aloud to vote ether this is not negotiable. Millions are here now because of this IDIOT in the white House. How about if an illegal alien is caught driving uninsured it is an instant trip over the boarder they crossed! We can afford this it will cost less than the damages from the accidents.
Our Amish citizens choose not to drive motor vehicles because of their faith. Yet a thriving business has grown of individuals of the non-Amish community buying large vans and contracting to haul the Amish around for a nominal fee. Let the lefties that love the illegals start a van club to do the same. Those illegally present within the borders of the US Should enjoy no privilege of citizenship;. They are not citizens and are criminals. At one time one had to be a citizen to buy or own land. My great-grandparents were in this class as immigrants from Sweden. He did become a citizen but still never owned any land. I believe he did become a voter though. Far too many news stories relate how a drunk illegal killed people in a car crash. By the way, watching real Americans who do have drivers licenses zoom in and out of traffic I think the driving license is no determining factor on who will be a safe driver.