HB 578 DISCRIMINATES FOR ILLEGAL LATIN AMERICANS

Georgia House Bill 578 to allow illegal aliens to get driver's licenses. There is a companion bill, sponsored by Sen. Sam Zamarripa [Link added by AmericanPatrol.com], in the Georgia Senate. These bills are moving.

HB 578 DISCRIMINATES FOR ILLEGAL LATIN AMERICANS

Although it is not mentioned anywhere in the bill, foreign citizens who are legal residents can already obtain driver's licenses. The only beneficiaries of this bill, as re-written by House Motor Vehicles Committee Chairman Parham, are illegal immigrants from Latin America.

State Rep. Pedro Marin is no surprise, but Rep. Bobby Parham should be shamed for his efforts to condone illegal Latin American immigration through the backdoor while our nation is at war. And why do they both discriminate against those from Africa, Asia and the rest of the world? This is an incredibly dishonest attempt to subvert immigration laws.

As Chairman of the House Motor Vehicles Committee, Parham, along with prime sponsor Rep. Pedro Marin , rewrote House Bill 578 to allow citizens of Mexico, Central and South America, and some Caribbean islands to have Georgia driver's licenses regardless of whether or not they are legal residents of Georgia. Other bills have unsuccessfully proposed driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, but this is the first to pass favorably out of Parham's committee and it favors one specifically created group of illegal immigrants over all others.

Why should anyone, regardless of nationality, who breaks our laws receive a driver's license? Let's quit rewarding illegal immigration, period.

The argument that illegal immigrants will be safer drivers is bogus; it's just a shabby attempt to turn illegal immigration into a public safety issue. No evidence exists that if illegal immigrants receive driver's licenses, they enroll in driver education programs, obtain insurance, or not flee from accidents. A lawbreaker will not wait at an accident site for the police.

Abundant evidence exists of illegal aliens using easily available forged documents. Driver's licenses are used not only to identify drivers, but to establish identity for voting, welfare benefits, employment, and credit. When licenses are secured by false identities, more than driving status is affected it opens a Pandora's Box for more fraud.

Creating loopholes around immigration laws is discrimination in favor of foreigners. Such absurdity continues to chip away at the rule of law in the United States and our national security. There's something wrong with this picture. It's not the American way.

House Bill 578 sponsor Pedro Marin is Executive Director of The Mexican Center of Atlanta which was originally created and operated by the Mexican Consulate, a Foreign Service agency of the Mexican government. Both groups are actively promoting driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, the acceptance of a Mexican government identification card for illegals in Georgia, and granting in-state tuition and HOPE scholarships to illegal immigrants.

Have you sworn to uphold the laws of the United States or to support the government of Mexico? These are defining issues to many voters. Don't support illegal immigrants.

Jimmy Herchek

Lawrenceville, GA
Version of HB 578 which passed out of Committee:

The House Committee on Motor Vehicles offers the following substitute to HB 578:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

To amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issuance, expiration, and renewal of drivers´ licenses, so as to change certain provisions relating to applications and fees for drivers´ licenses; to change certain provisions relating to restricted licenses; to provide for a restricted license for certain persons who are not citizens of the United States; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Child Support Recovery Act, so as to change certain provisions relating to the duty to furnish information about the obligor to the department; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to issuance, expiration, and renewal of drivers´ licenses, is amended in Code Section 40-5-25, relating to applications and fees for drivers´ licenses, by striking subsection (c) and inserting in its place the following:
"(c) Every such application shall state the full name, date of birth, sex, and residence address of the applicant; shall briefly describe the applicant; and shall state whether the applicant has theretofore been licensed as a driver and, if so, when and by what state or country, and whether any such license has ever been suspended, revoked, or refused, and, if so, the date of and reason for such suspension, revocation, or refusal; and shall state such other information as the commissioner may require to determine the applicant´s identity, competence, and eligibility. The application shall include any other identification information as required by paragraph (1) of subsection (a.1) of Code Section 19-11-9.1. The department shall not issue a license until a complete examination of the applicant´s record has been completed. The commissioner may issue such rules and regulations as shall be necessary for the orderly processing of license applications.
(c.1) Any person who knowingly makes any false statement or submits any false document, including any false identification relating to information as provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (a.1) of Code Section 19-11-9.1, in an application for a driver´s license provided for by this chapter shall be guilty of a violation of Code Section 16-10-20."

SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended by striking Code Section 40-5-30, relating to restricted licenses, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"40-5-30.
(a) Upon issuing a driver´s license, the department shall have authority, whenever good cause appears, to impose restrictions suitable to the licensee´s driving ability with respect to special mechanical control devices required on a motor vehicle which the licensee may operate or such other restrictions applicable to the licensee as the department may determine to be appropriate to assure the safe operation of a motor vehicle by the licensee. The commissioner may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement this Code section.
(b) The department may either issue a special restricted license or set forth such restrictions upon the usual license form.
(b.1)(1) As used in this subsection, the term 'Free Trade Area of the Americas' means Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Granada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
(2) Any person who is a citizen of any nation included in the Free Trade Area of the Americas and who satisfies all applicable eligibility requirements for a noncommercial class of driver´s license other than United States citizenship or proof of legal authorization from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service may be issued a restricted driver´s license for such class under this subsection.
(3) A restricted driver´s license issued under this subsection shall expire on the licensee´s birthday in the year following the issuance of such license, the provisions of Code Section 40-5-32 notwithstanding; but such restricted driver´s license may be renewed on or before its expiration in the same manner as provided for renewal under Code Section 40-5-32.
(4) A restricted driver´s license issued under this subsection shall entitle the licensee to operate a motor vehicle in this state only for purposes of:
(A) Going to his or her place of employment or performing the normal duties of his or her occupation;
(B) Receiving scheduled medical care or obtaining prescription drugs; and
(C) Attending a college or school at which he or she is regularly enrolled as a student.
All restrictions provided by this paragraph shall be endorsed on each driver´s license issued pursuant to this subsection.
(5)(A) A restricted license issued under this Code section shall not confer rights of citizenship upon the holder of such license.
(B) The provisions of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be printed on the license.
(c) The department, upon receiving satisfactory evidence of any violation of the restrictions of any such license, may revoke the license, but the licensee shall be entitled to a hearing as upon a revocation under subsection (c) of Code Section 40-5-59. No person shall operate a motor vehicle in any manner in violation of the restrictions imposed in a restricted license issued to him or her."

SECTION 3.
Article 1 of Chapter 11 of Title 19 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Child Support Recovery Act, is amended by striking paragraph (1) of subsection (a.1) of Code Section 19-11-9.1, relating to the duty to furnish information about the obligor to the department, and inserting in its place the following:
"(a.1)(1) In accordance with the mandate contained in 42 U.S.C. Section 666(a)(13)(A) and notwithstanding any provision of Title 40 relating to motor vehicles as now existing or hereafter amended, the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety shall require an applicant for a driver´s license, a commercial driver´s license, a learner´s permit, or an identification card to provide to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety the applicant´s social security number as part of the application. Applicants who do not have a social security number and who are otherwise eligible for a driver´s license may provide to the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety any one of the following documents: a driver´s license issued from his or her country of citizenship, a federal tax identification number, a valid passport, or a certified citizenship document or birth document issued by a consulate or embassy in the United States. The Department of Motor Vehicle Safety shall provide to the Department of Human Resources, in addition to other information required to be provided to the Department of Human Resources, such social security numbers or other forms of identification authorized by this subsection of individuals who have been issued a driver´s license, a commercial driver´s license, a learner´s permit, or an identification card. The Department of Human Resources shall use the information provided by the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety pursuant to this Code section for the purpose of complying with the requirements of law concerning the enforcement of child support."

SECTION 4.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.