California Driver's license amendment pushed - Republicans Seek to Wipe Out all Immigrant Benefits
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger won his first legislative victory last year
after the California Republican Party contributed $400,000 for a ballot
signature drive that forced Democrats to repeal a law intended to allow
illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. But as state Sen. Gil
Cedillo prepares to introduce his fifth license bill next year, the
governor - who recently vetoed an Assembly version - and the GOP are
distancing themselves from a ballot measure that could put the issue to
rest. The constitutional amendment would bar the Legislature from
granting licenses to illegal immigrants, and cut off their access to
professional or commercial licenses and higher education subsidies. The
same grass-roots group that launched last year's referendum drive, the
California Republican Assembly, has begun a signature drive to qualify
the new measure. Likened to Proposition 187 - the 1994 measure that
would have denied public benefits to illegal immigrants but was gutted
by the courts - the new measure has reignited debate between moderate
and conservative Republicans. [more ]
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