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.

[FITZ]

You are definitely right --- California does recognize their Mexican drivers licenses already:

"California already recognizes a valid foreign drivers license as proof of competence to operate a motor vehicle on California roads."

http://republican.sen.ca.gov/web/mcclintock/article_detail.asp?PID=261

[FairOpinion]

NOWHERE DOES IT SAY THAT ARNOLD SUPPORTS THE CURRENT SB 1160, which is what people claim.

As I said before, some people here aren't interested in the illegal immigration issue, they are interested in attacking Arnold, and this just happens to be an issue they pick up as a weapon.

Why aren't you interested in attacking Cedillo, a Democrat, who is the one pushing this bill?

[CWOJackson]

Your name implies you are interested in "Fair" opinions. Threads like these will only frustrate you. It's pretty hard to counter the "evidence" provided by an anonymous aide.

[FairOpinion]

I still don't have an explanation from anyone, why are people who claim to be interested in the issues and claim to be conservatives don't hold the Democrats responsible, who are the ones pushing the issues these self-declared conservatives object to.

Can you explain why people think that Bush and Arnold are their enemies, but Bustamante and Kerry aren't?

[CWOJackson]

A lot of folks carry it over from previous elections. Their candidate (the only true Constitution loving American Conservative) didn't get the nomination so many of them don't miss out on a rush to judgment on the flimsiest excuses. Rumor, or what someone said that someone said, is more then sufficient to "prove" their point.

[concentric circles]

Schwarzenegger Ready To license Illegal Aliens
WorldNetDaily 1/30/04
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1068457/posts

Though he campaigned hard against it, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is negotiating with a Democratic state lawmaker to draft a bill that would grant driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

Schwarzenegger's first act as governor last fall was to repeal SB 60, signed by then-Gov. Gray Davis, which would have opened the road for the estimated 2 million illegal immigrants of driving age in the Golden State.

This week, however, the new governor said he was "absolutely positive we'll come up with a great bill" to replace SB 60, opposed by 70 percent of California voters, according to exit polling during the October recall election.

Schwarzenegger said his office has been working closely to craft a successor to SB 60 with state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, a former member of MeCha, the radical Latino student movement demanding annexation of all southwestern states.

"This is the way we move forward," Schwarzenegger said at a Sacramento Press Club lunch Tuesday, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. (http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1068039/posts)

Despite opposition from many Republicans and a majority of Californians, the governor 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, according to the Riverside paper. "I'm talking with my Republican friends all the time about it and also with my Democratic friends. We will do it."

Cedillo's chief of staff, Dan Savage, said tentative agreement has been reached to grant driver licenses to all illegal immigrants, the Press-Enterprise reported. The licenses would look identical to those of other residents.

Savage said there were two sticking points in the earlier bill -- insurance requirements and verifying applicants' identities.

Republicans have demanded applicants be subject to background checks, but Savage said that has not been a main topic during the negotiations, according to the Press-Enterprise.

A co-author of the legislation repealing SB 60, Assemblyman John J. Benoit, R-Palm Desert, remains firmly opposed to the plan.

"To actually give a legal document to an illegal immigrant, I'm not there," Benoit told the Riverside paper.

But, Jesse Diaz, 39, a graduate student at UC Riverside and a member of the Mexican-American Political Foundation Backers, sees it as a practical move.

"There's definitely a need for it," said. "They're going to drive regardless. It's just now the rules will be safer. They're going to have insurance. There will be driver's training. It will be great."

Davis signed SB 60 in September after blocking a similar bill in 2002, raising charges he was pandering to Latinos before the recall vote.

In a statement after signing the repeal Dec. 3, Schwarzenegger said:"The swift bipartisan passage of this legislation is a perfect example of how the peoples' will can change politics-as-usual in Sacramento.

Benoit said President Bush's proposal to give illegal workers temporary status might change the debate. If the measure passes Congress, Republicans might be more receptive to giving driver licenses to people with temporary work permits, he suggested.

[CWOJackson]

Now there is some more thorough information which doesn't close all the gaps on some issues but does present some concrete details.

While I'm sure some of the gaps will be filled in with speculation, I didn't see anything in it that calls for referendum proofing the bill.

[FairOpinion]

I am frankly amazed that you are rational enough to see the obvious. ( This IS meant as a compliment. ;) )

I do think that people who really are against the idea of giving drivers licenses to illegals and are against legitimizing them, are hurting their own cause, because this thread doesn't sound like a thread to rally against the bill and defeat the Democrats, who are proposing it and pushing it, as an attack thread against Arnold.

So what is people's agenda -- is it to make sure Arnold fails, so we can have a long string of Democrats, like Davis and Bustamante in the governor's office and say goodbye to any hope of Republicans having any clout in California? It sure sounds like this to me.

Why aren't people focusing on electing more Republicans to the CA legislature instead?

[CWOJackson]

Oops, almost forgot. Thanks for posting some real information.

[FairOpinion]

Brilliant!

I guess you would just love to have BustaMEChA as governor.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Thanks for posting some real information.

[Joe Hadenuf]

That's why we voted for McClintok. He was the only real conservative on the ticket. That was clear. That's why they had to run a celebrity. Win or lose, we were not going to be part of it.

[Sabertooth]

While I'm sure some of the gaps will be filled in with speculation, I didn't see anything in it that calls for referendum proofing the bill.

The urgency clause has been in the bill from the time it was filed:

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

[CWOJackson]

I guess that's why the Governor says he's continuing to work with both sides on this issue. Sounds like a work in progress. I'm sure there will be some updated information soon.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I guess that's why the Governor says he's continuing to work with both sides on this issue.

Both sides? I guess the other side would be the pro-illegal alien, pandering side.

[CWOJackson]

I'm sure you right there Joe...you always are.

It must be lonely inside that head of yours. Do you get echos?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Do you get echos?

Only when dealing with people like you.

[CWOJackson]

LOL! Well the Joe Ineverhavenuf, a half way intelligent person would try to avoid the accoustic disturbance. I'm glad you're not in that category.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Well the Joe Ineverhavenuf, a half way intelligent person would try to avoid the accoustic disturbance.

So are you signing off?

[CWOJackson]

LOL! Of course not. You seem to enjoy the accoustic disturbance and I wouldn't want to disappoint you. That's why I qualified my statement referring to a half way intelligent person.

Sorry, you'll just have to let the echo continue to share the vacuum of your political philosophy.