California Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing for AB 60: A Disgrace of Representative Democracy

On April 22 I testified in opposition to California AB 60, the state law that would grant driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.

The Assembly approved the bill 53-20. If approved by the Senate and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown, the law would go into effect in January, 2015. [Assembly Bill Would Allow Driver’s Licenses for More Immigrants, by Chris Megerian, Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2013]

Currently California driver’s license applicants must either have a Social Security number or some other proof of legal residency. AB 60, the Safe and Responsible Driver Act, if passed, would allow anyone to apply for a driver’s license regardless of his immigration status.

Since my son Drew was killed by an unlicensed Honduran driver in 2010, I have had a keen interest in legislation that loosens requirements for obtaining a California driver's license. Read my earlier CAPS blog with the details of Drew's story. My testimony exclusively dealt with public safety issues. Although many perceive allowing illegal aliens a driver’s license rewards lawbreakers and shouldn’t be allowed that is a subjective political discussion. I didn’t want to go there for obvious reasons. I wanted to present irrefutable facts that prove licensing illegal aliens will not make them safer or more responsible drivers.

As you will see, the Assembly Transportation Committee was not the least bit interested in facts. Assemblyman Luis Alejo who introduced the bill didn’t present one shred of evidence to back up his assertion that this bill would make the roads safer. None of his witnesses, who all had a financial interest, presented any evidence that licensing would make the roads safer.

Far be it from me to tell you what happened when you can see for yourself. The video of the hearing is available here.

Testimony starts at the 21:12 mark with mine beginning at 41:00

21:12–Bill author Assemblyman Luis Alejo

25:05–Dave Pulia, Western Growers

25:57–Michael Gunning, Personal Insurance Federation

26:33–John Lovell,  California Police Chiefs Association

27:03–Louie Brown, California Citrus Mutual

27:15– Guadalupe Sandaval, California Farm Labor Contractor Association

27:50–Supporters of AB 60  (Watch the first 4-5 and you’ll get the idea)

41:00–Don Rosenberg, Unlicensed To Kill

56:00–Assemblyman Luis Alejo; questions from the committee and the vote

My synopsis of the hearing, my written testimony and verbal testimony is available at my website here.

Purely my opinion but I would like to know your thoughts of how I, a California taxpaying citizen, was treated by committee chair Bonnie Lowenthal. You can reach me at [email protected]