This Washington
Extra Fizz: Republican Driver License Amendment Rejected Again
In this morning's Fizz, we reported on Sen. Don Benton's (R-17, Vancouver) amendment to the transportation budget yesterday afternoon that would have required applicants for driver's licenses to prove their legal resident—effectively prohibiting undocumented immigrants from obtaining driver licenses. After Sen. Lisa Brown (D-3, Spokane) questioned the amendment's merit, the senate adjourned without a ruling from Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen.
This morning after the senate resumed, Owen sided with Brown and ruled the amendment out of order.
Undeterred, Benton proposed another amendment this afternoon that would have effectively accomplished the same goal, but was written in a way to get around the senate rules. Benton's first amendment was thrown out because it addressed legislation not directly tied to the transportation budget. This time, the amendment attached itself to the budget by directing transportation funding to the Department of Licensing to enforce and require license applicants to confirm their legal residency.
Owen, having received the amendment earlier in the day, was already prepared with a ruling. Out of order, again. Owen admitted Benton's amendment came closer to coming within the senate rules, but said it still relied on other pieces of statute, regardless of the additional resources provided in the amendment.
We've been following the issue of driver licensing requirements all session. In the senate, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's original proposal didn't reach a vote on the senate floor. In the house, Rep. Mike Armstrong's legislation to create a "two-tiered" system ran into some intense opposition by immigrant rights groups that said the legislation would be a "scarlet letter" for those undocumented immigrants who obtained licenses with the "not valid for identification purposes" stamp.
This morning after the senate resumed, Owen sided with Brown and ruled the amendment out of order.
Undeterred, Benton proposed another amendment this afternoon that would have effectively accomplished the same goal, but was written in a way to get around the senate rules. Benton's first amendment was thrown out because it addressed legislation not directly tied to the transportation budget. This time, the amendment attached itself to the budget by directing transportation funding to the Department of Licensing to enforce and require license applicants to confirm their legal residency.
Owen, having received the amendment earlier in the day, was already prepared with a ruling. Out of order, again. Owen admitted Benton's amendment came closer to coming within the senate rules, but said it still relied on other pieces of statute, regardless of the additional resources provided in the amendment.
We've been following the issue of driver licensing requirements all session. In the senate, Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen's original proposal didn't reach a vote on the senate floor. In the house, Rep. Mike Armstrong's legislation to create a "two-tiered" system ran into some intense opposition by immigrant rights groups that said the legislation would be a "scarlet letter" for those undocumented immigrants who obtained licenses with the "not valid for identification purposes" stamp.
