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Everett Herald: Did Haugen Give Up on Her License Bill?
On Monday, March 7, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen was part of a 25-member majority voting against consideration of her own bill that would require people who couldn't prove legal residence in the US to get special driver licenses marked "Not Valid for Identification Purposes." The procedural motion effectively killed the controversial bill
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Since then, constituents have been asking: Why did Haugen vote against her own bill? Today, the Everett Herald has Haugen's answer:
"My support for SB 5407, which I sponsored, has not changed. I still think it offers the best solution possible to our state's problem with drivers' license applications from non-residents. We currently issue tens of thousands more drivers' licenses than we have eligible state residents, and this problem will only worsen as we become the only state in the nation that issues drivers licenses without proof of citizenship.
"People ask why I voted against my own bill. I didn't vote against my bill. I voted against a procedural motion by the minority party after the leadership of my majority party had made it clear it did not want to hear the bill. Voting on the procedural motion would not have changed the result — the Senate would have adjourned rather than bring the bill to a vote — and my actions would have unnecessarily antagonized the leadership and members of my own caucus, making it even more difficult for me to persuade them to come around to my point of view.
“I still hope to win passage of the bill, especially if the governor can be persuaded to take more of a leadership role on the issue, and I continue to work my colleagues in my caucus. Voting for the procedural motion would have put me at odds with my caucus and made my continuing efforts on behalf of this legislation impossible.”
Since then, constituents have been asking: Why did Haugen vote against her own bill? Today, the Everett Herald has Haugen's answer:
"My support for SB 5407, which I sponsored, has not changed. I still think it offers the best solution possible to our state's problem with drivers' license applications from non-residents. We currently issue tens of thousands more drivers' licenses than we have eligible state residents, and this problem will only worsen as we become the only state in the nation that issues drivers licenses without proof of citizenship.
"People ask why I voted against my own bill. I didn't vote against my bill. I voted against a procedural motion by the minority party after the leadership of my majority party had made it clear it did not want to hear the bill. Voting on the procedural motion would not have changed the result — the Senate would have adjourned rather than bring the bill to a vote — and my actions would have unnecessarily antagonized the leadership and members of my own caucus, making it even more difficult for me to persuade them to come around to my point of view.
“I still hope to win passage of the bill, especially if the governor can be persuaded to take more of a leadership role on the issue, and I continue to work my colleagues in my caucus. Voting for the procedural motion would have put me at odds with my caucus and made my continuing efforts on behalf of this legislation impossible.”
