License Requirements Pass Senate

Earlier today, the Oregon Senate voted to pass a bill imposing stricter identification requirements for Oregon driver's license applicants.

From the Oregonian:

The Oregon Senate easily passed a bill Monday to tighten identification requirements to obtain a state driver's license, advancing a measure that has become embroiled in the emotional debate over illegal immigration.

The vote was 23-7. All of the opponents were Democrats, including three of the four state senators who are running for secretary of state.

The measure, Senate Bill 1080, would largely put into law the tighter identification requirements that were imposed under an executive order signed by Gov. Ted Kulongoski that went into effect on Feb. 4. Both the executive order and the Senate bill require driver's license applicants, including those seeking to renew an existing license, to provide a Social Security number or other proof of legal residence that can be verified by the state Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division.

Urging passage of the bill, Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, said the bill would streamline the application process and avoid "unintended consequences."

Metsger was the only senate running for secretary of state who voted for the bill. His three Democratic opponents, Sens. Brad Avakian of Bethany, Kate Brown of Portland and Vicki Walker of Eugene voted against the measure.

Read the rest. Discuss.

  • Flip Flop (unverified)
    (Show?)

    So did the three Secretary of State candidates that voted against the bill give an explanation of what changed their minds after voting in support of the legal presence requirement only six months ago?

  • backbeat12 (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Is this the national Real ID crap? And Merkley is going along with it? UGH

  • Flip Flop (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Backbeat12 said, "Is this the national Real ID crap?"

    No, the Senate and all candidates for Sec. of State voted to reject Real ID last year. This was about the Governor's executive order (which took effect Feb 4th).

    His executive order had no provisions to assist citizens in locating documents, such as birth certificates, etc. This bill changed the executive order so that no citizens are turned away for not being able to track down the proper documents.

  • (Show?)

    FF, what provisions beyond an ombudsman's office will keep citizens from being turned away?

    I discovered who I'm not supporting in the SOS race, anyhow...

  • Anon (unverified)
    (Show?)

    This is great... now the Republicans can pull out the old "I voted for it before I voted against it" line in the General.

  • Max (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Now, the real question: will it actually prevent non-citizens and non-legal resident aliens from obtaining a DL?

  • A Pox On Them (unverified)
    (Show?)
    Backbeat12 said, "Is this the national Real ID crap?" No, the Senate and all candidates for Sec. of State voted to reject Real ID last year.

    Flip-Flop is only barely technically correct, but (perhaps unintentionally) being misleading. In fact this really is about Real ID, and some really ugly nativism that has infected the Democratic party and leadership in this state, and a lot of their mouthpieces who comment here and elsewhere.

    One of the levers the right wing has been using to push Real ID is that you wouldn't be able to use a state driver's license as ID for Federal purposes (like getting into a courthouse or boarding a plane) if your state doesn't comply with Real ID, one provision of which is proving citizenship. Rather than stand up and fight, our rather shameful Democrat leadership has done everything they can to comply with Real ID, but in a weasly way that they won't be held accountable by using this as an excuse. We have some real losers in the Democratic leadership in this state.

  • lin qiao (unverified)
    (Show?)

    I guess I'll voice an unpopular opinion here.

    I fail to see why there should not be a national ID card, and I mean ID card, not driver's license.

    National ID cards are routine in all sorts of countries that every reader here would have no trouble identifying as democratic. So please, no blather about national ID cards being a step towards regimentation and control.

  • Joanne Rigutto (unverified)
    (Show?)

    This is compliance with Real ID. Oregon will comply with Real ID, and it will probably do it by the deadline.

    1 - Oregon is issuing driver licenses and state ID cards from a central production location. They are no longer made in the DMV offices. You get a paper temporary license from the DMV office and the real one shows up in the mail. This is a requirement of Real ID and Oregon is currently doing it.

    2 - Oregon Driver licenses and state issued ID cards will require valid citizenship or that an alien be in the country legally. You don't have to show a valid SS card or passport. You just have to have a vallid SSN registered to your name which can be verified over the phone or net. This is a requirement of Real ID and Oregon will do it.

    3 - The third major criteria is that the databases be made available to law enforcement in other states and to the federal government. If Oregon isn't doing it yet, I'm sure it will be.

    I don't care one bit if the state want's to swear up and down that this isn't compliance with Real ID, it is. The government of this state excels at telling the voters one thing and then going right on and doing something else if it thinks that the something else is going to make the constituents angry. By the time everyone finds out they've been duped yet again, it's too late.....

    I don't know which irritates me more, Real ID or being lied to about it by my own state government.

  • backbeat12 (unverified)
    (Show?)

    So Merkley's going to be a fighter for us, yet goes along with this? UGH

  • Blueshift (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Before I begin, let me just say that I hate REAL ID. Next to the "PATRIOT" Act and NCLB, it's my least favorite piece of fear-mongering nonsense the Bush Administration has passed since it came into power. Just so that's clear...

    Now: I've read this bill. I even read the preliminary rules for REAL ID when they came out last year, because I don't trust Homeland Security to tell me the truth. And from my reading, I can tell you that this bill is not REAL ID. To get a REAL ID, the DMV would have to take photos of every identity document you bring in when you get (or renew) your license and store those photos forever. The DMV would have to require you to reverify your Social Security Number every single time you come in to renew your license, which means repeated exposures of sensitive identity documents. And as Joanne Rigutto said above, the DMV would have to share all of these documents and information with every other DMV in the country. This bill does none of those things.

    SB 1080 is a long way from REAL ID, and calling it REAL ID in disguise is just fearmongering.

  • Joanne Rigutto (unverified)
    (Show?)

    Blueshift,

    This is compliance with Real ID. If you go to DMV's own website you can read the notices on the new rules for Real ID compliance for Oregon driver licenses and state issued ID cards. They even have a chart you can download that shows you how they are complying, the time lines, the enabling legislation and fee increases, etc..

    Oregon is doing the following - New since Real ID was passed - Use of facial recognition software - Collection of SSN for all drivers - Electronic validation of SSN for all drivers - Proof of US citizenship or legal presence in the US - Verification of customers' ID documents with issuing agencies

    What DMV was collecting before Real ID - Collection but not retention of SSN - Digital photo and retention at first issuance of driver license or ID card - Digital photo and retention with visual check of previous photos upon renewal

    The two you point out - Retention of copies of customers' ID documents Providing other states with electronic addess to driver records

    They don't do yet, but they will when the extension for partial compliance runs out or when they run out of additional extensions.

    I have a friend who works for DMV as a lead worker at a DMV office. She has worked for DMV for over 18 years. When I asked her if DMV was going to comply she said yes. I believe her over what the politicians say. There's no way that Oregon is going to jump through all of the other hoops and not the last two as well.

    DMV page for changes

    Chart

in the news

connect with blueoregon