California: Governor seeks "referendum proof" illegal alien driver license bill

KFI AM640, Los Angeles, John and Ken Show | March 8, 2004

[John Jorsett]

Just heard an appearance on the John and Ken show by Ron Prince, sponsor of the new Proposition 187-type initiative that (if it gets enough signatures) will appear on the November ballot. Prince reports that an associate was attending a meeting with Schwarzenegger aides, on the subject of how Republican candidates should handle their campaigns. In the course of the discussion, the question of the new illegal alien driver licenses came up. An aide answered, "Don't worry about that, we're going for a 'referendum-proof' version." It seems that if the legislature designates a bill as "urgent," two-thirds of the legislators vote for it, and it's signed by the governor, it becomes law immediately. That means there's no opportunity for a referendum as in non-urgent bills, the technique we used to persuade the legislature to repeal SB60. All that it would take for making SB 1160 (Democrat Assemblyman Gil Cedillo's new illegal alien driver's license bill) urgent is for two Republicans in the state Senate and six in the Assembly to vote for it. According to Prince, it appears that Schwarzenegger is planning on leaning on Republicans to vote for 1160.

It's not clear whether Schwarzenegger is going to succeed with this, but Prince says that the legislature is going to keep running at this until they win. The only way we can get them to stop this nonsense is to pass an initiative (like Prince's new "son of 187" initiative), which can't be overridden by the legislature. Prince says that his initiative needs another 200,000 signatures in the next 6 weeks. Go to www.Save187.com, download the petition, print it out (make sure you make a two-sided printout and not single-sided), sign it, get anyone else you can to sign it, and mail it in. I'm doing that myself right now. I'm fed up with this garbage and it's time to put a stop to it.

I'll also be writing a strong letter to the governor to let him know just how I feel about this attempted end-run around the people. If this turns out to be true, his new name will be Governor Judas as far as I'm concerned.

[truthkeeper]

Denial ain't just a river.

[Husker24]

I thought Arnald was supposed to be against illegal alien drivers liscenses. What the hell is this?

[Uncle Hal]

There is no way any GOP member in the legislature is going to support this. Arnold should be very, very careful. If he pulls this off, Arnold will not win the GOP nomination in the next election. Arnold may have to run as Democrat to be elected governor the next time around

[truthkeeper]

Were you aware he did NOT support the referendum against the old bill (SB60) which had more than enough signatures to be overturned? He would only say that he had a problem with the "safety issues" in that bill.

And see, now he's fixing it. Aren't we the lucky ones?

[FairOpinion]

I heard from my neighbor, who heard from one of McCLINTOCK's aide,that McClintock is going to support giving drivers licences for illegal aliens, he will also sponsor a legislation to allow illagal aliens to vote, and he has been talking with his Democrat counterparts to ammend the CA constitution, to allow marriages or anyone to anyone, even if one party is not human.

I am just soo disappointed for McClintock for betraying his conservative principles like that.

Since my neighbor said he heard it from a McClintock aide, I am sure it must be true.

I urge all of you to protest McClintock's support of these issues.

(THIS is NO different, than the accusations people are making against Arnold, without a single shred of evidence)

[FairOpinion]

"legislative watchers first saw the urgency clause in the bill."


===
And where is any evidence, that Arnold supports this? NOWHERE. It doesn't exist.

If people say: "Look, the Dem Legislature is trying to pass another bill to give driver's licence to legitimize illegal aliens, we must stop it", then I know they care about the ISSUE, and are sincere.

But when people's focus is not the bill, but the invention that Arnold supports it, and their main focus is attacking Arnold, then I have to conclude, that they don't really care about the bill, they just want to attack Arnold, using this as an excuse. They wish, that McClintock had succeeded in syphoning away enough votes from Arnold to elect Bustamante as governor.

[budwiesest]

Tighter border control would remove this issue. Juan or Jose get pulled over today and you've got to go with what they tell you about themselves. Some form of ID is better than nothing, yet it shouldn't lead in any way toward voting priviledges.

I'd rather the cop know something about the driver than whether or not he's busted a pinata open in his lifetime.

[itsahoot]

(THIS is NO different, than the accusations people are making against Arnold, without a single shred of evidence)

Sure it is, your version is made of whole cloth, and we all know it.

[CalKat]

I don't know if Arnold will "lean on" Republicans to pass the bill, but he has made it very clear that he supports the Cedillo bill for drivers licenses for illegals. He has said it on the radio, on television and in the newspapers. It sounded like he will be "encouraging" legislators to pass the bill, just he did he did with the bond issue.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Arnold may have to run as Democrat to be elected governor the next time around

And he should if he is going to pull this kind of stuff.

By the way I saw an interview with a high oficial of the US Chamber of Commerce saying we need these immigrant workers, we have jobs for them and they will help support our Social Security program because we need a better ratio of workers to retiree's so SS won't go bust! He didn't say it quite that way, but essentially that is what he was saying. Not sure where I saw it, maybe CNBC.

[truthkeeper]

"...we have jobs for them and they will help support our Social Security program because we need a better ratio of workers to retiree's so SS won't go bust!"

I'd like to know how he figures, since so many of them work under the table and drain our resources. Just educating their kids alone is killing us.

[Sabertooth]

Al Rantel is discussing this now on KABC 790.

Schwarzenegger is going to screw California over by supporting SB 1160, with a nice flip of the bird to those of us who passed out SaveOurLicense petitions by using the "urgency" clause.

Schwarzenegger supporters should get their plates ready for crow.

[Amerigomag]

I'm with FairOpinion on this one.

First, there is no credible source at this time. Lot's of rumors but no credible source.

Second, I don't think Schwarzenegger is that stupid. The minute he signs the legislation he's a one term governor and I think his aspirations are beyond one term.

Third, what remains of the dwindling number of US citizens in California will not stand for this nonsense. I don't pretend that I can predict their reaction accurately but my guess is that it will be just short of violent.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I would agree!

[537 Votes]

If this turns out to be true, his new name will be Governor Judas as far as I'm concerned.

I just heard that if you give me all your money, you'll get ten times as much money from the Nigerian Finance Minister. If this turns out to be true . . . .

There's a fine line between Free Republic and Rumor Central, and you just crossed it.

[calcowgirl]

No Evidence? You obviously have not been following this issue very closely. Here's a couple quotes:

Arnold on drivers licenses
SacBee - Weintraub Weblog

Reporter: "You did say that to me when we talked one on one (Sept. 6, 2003) that you would consider a package deal that would have included a requirement of insurance for those people that are going to get the drivers license. That I know is something that you believe in. Do you also believe that all undocumented immigrants will be able to get a drivers license if they present insurance, if they have a background check, fingerprints?

Governor: "Absolutely...yes. This is what we are going to work on. This is what we are going to talk about, but right now the most important thing is to get this passed (the repeal of SB 60) so we can move to other issues. I think Senator Cedillo was extremely gracious and helpful with this whole thing. He is a great leader, he understood what would be the best thing for California; rather than just doing an immediate fix, but to make everybody happy. It doesn't make sense if the majority of Californians run around and hate the idea of undocumented immigrants having drivers licenses because there is no background check, because it doesn't solve the problem with insurance. Let's do it the right way, let's make every Californian happy and let's make the undocumented immigrants happy."

Driver License Issue Returns
Press Enterprise 1/29/04

SACRAMENTO Gov. Schwarzenegger said Tuesday he was "absolutely positive we'll come up with a great bill" to replace a law granting driver licenses to undocumented immigrants that was repealed days after he took office. It was a strong sign he supports giving driver licenses to California residents in the state illegally. Schwarzenegger said his office has been working closely with state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, to craft a successor to SB 60. The law became a lighting rod for criticism during last summer's recall campaign and was repealed at Schwarzenegger's insistence. Many Republicans remain opposed to the idea. And polls conducted last year showed a majority of Californians against giving driver licenses to undocumented immigrants. But Schwarzenegger said he is confident of the outcome. "It's one of those things that we'll all have to get together and see that this is a good idea and this is the way we move forward," Schwarzenegger said at a Sacramento Press Club lunch. "I'm talking with my Republican friends all the time about it and also with my Democratic friends. We will do it."

[calcowgirl]

Ping to above... Arnold is on the record already.

[Sabertooth]

SB 1160 Senate Bill - INTRODUCED

BILL NUMBER: SB 1160 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT

INTRODUCED BY Senator Cedillo

FEBRUARY 2, 2004

An act relating to drivers, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1160, as introduced, Cedillo. Highways: drivers. Existing law makes it unlawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle upon a highway unless that person holds a valid driver's license issued under the Vehicle Code, and provides proof of financial responsibility.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact appropriate legislation that improves the safety of all California residents while operating motor vehicles upon our highways by ensuring that all drivers of motor vehicles are properly licensed, tested, and maintain proof of financial responsibility.

The bill would declare that it takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to enact appropriate legislation that improves the safety of all California residents while operating motor vehicles on our highways by ensuring that all drivers of motor vehicles are properly licensed, tested, and maintain proof of financial responsibility.

SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to reduce the number of unlicensed drivers on our highways, who account for 20 percent of all accidents and, thereby, compromise public safety, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1151-1200/sb_1160_bill_20040202_introduced.html

[Amerigomag]

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace,

My guess is the effect would be quite the opposite.