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Senate moves to ease path to driver's license

Democrats prevail on bill recognizing more forms of ID

April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Published April 13, 2007 at midnight

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A bill to make it easier for lawful Colorado residents to get a driver's license won the Senate's final blessing Thursday, prompting charges by Republicans of a rollback on immigration reform.

House Bill 1313 passed the Senate on a 20-15 party-line vote. It heads back to the House for consideration of a minor amendment.

The measure, by Sen. Paula Sandoval, D-Denver, seeks to clear up the red tape involved in getting a driver's license or Colorado ID by allowing residents to present a broad range of valid documents to prove age, name and lawful presence in the U.S.

"People who are here lawfully or people who were born in this country haven't been allowed to get a license," she said. "We're trying to strike a balance in this bill."

Democrats argued that the Department of Revenue, which oversees the Division of Motor Vehicles, has made it extremely difficult for some homeless people, senior citizens and children of immigrants born in this country to obtain a driver's license or ID card.

Coloradans now must have a state ID or license to prove lawful presence to receive most government services under an immigration law enacted last summer.

The bill, also by Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, spells out what documents are acceptable for obtaining a state ID or license.

They include a U.S. passport, voter registration card, certified birth certificate, marriage license, divorce decree or Social Security card, among others.

The bill would allow those who are turned down to request an appeals hearing.

Republicans railed against a provision in HB 1313 that allows someone to prove legal residency by providing a marriage license or affidavits from nonprofit organizations.

Sen. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, said document forgery will skyrocket as illegal immigrants churn out fake divorce decrees and Social Security cards.

Last year, many lawmakers complained that the Department of Revenue kept changing the rules to get a license or ID.

A lawsuit was filed alleging that the changes were made without proper public input.

In response, a Denver district judge suspended the DMV's so-called two-document rule. He said it created hardships because residents without IDs or licenses could not get basic services, including bank accounts and housing.

In other Senate action, a bill to allow gay couples to adopt is on its way to Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter after winning final passage on a 20-15 party-line vote.

Ritter has said he will sign the Second Parent Adoption measure into law.

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