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Tuesday, March 08, 2011
SJC to Vote on Nunez Immigrant Driver's License Repeal Today at 4:00 PM
Rep. Eleanor Chavez (D-Albuquerque) speaks at candlelight vigil last night at Roundhouse against license repeal effort
After having to endure two days of the NM House schedule devoted to Susana Martinez's pet wedge issue, you'd think the Dem leadership in the NM Senate would get the clue. Susana desperately wants to prove she can be just as mean-spirited and prejudiced about undocumented workers as the most Anglo of the other Republicans.
Gov. Martinez obviously believes a "win" on the repeal of driver's licenses for foreign nationals would give her some bounce on the national scene, where she's competing for attention with other tea party favorites like Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona. Her handlers also want to make sure the immigrant wedge issue is a hot topic of conversation here -- so they can keep feeding the fear and hatred of voters until the 2012 election.
So Dem Senate leaders have a choice: shut down the anti-public safety driver's license crusade or be just another pawn in Susana's propaganda game. At this point, it looks like they might be headed down the path to serfdom, once again missing the big picture of what's at stake.
A story yesterday on KOB.com reports that our vaguely Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings (D-Roswell) will introduce a bill he says could be a "compromise" to repealing drivers licenses for immigrants. I'm not clear why we need a compromise since the Senate has twice voted down Republican floor amendments to repeal the licenses 25-14 on party-line votes. The Dems should also be able to stop any attempt to "blast" a Senate bill out of committee and directly to the floor. I guess even when Dems are winning on their core issues, some of them feel the need to kowtow to Susana.
Vote Today on HB 78
If the Senate Dem Caucus would hang together on this, nothing could move forward, including Rep. Andy Nunez's HB 78 that was blasted to the House floor and passed on Friday. HB 78 is now scheduled for a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC) today at 4:00 5:00 PM, so I guess we'll see what happens. Previously, the SJC tabled another bill to repeal the licenses.
The "Compromise"
Jennings' proposal, SB 592 (still a dummy bill on the legislature website), would supposedly "set up a special provisional license for those without social security numbers while tightening requirements for those who apply when it comes to proving their identity." According to Jennings, the provisional licenses would only be good for two years and then would need to be renewed. The bill would also repeal the 80,000 driver's licenses now held by foreign nationals.
“They have to keep coming back,” said Sen. Jennings. “And for anybody who has been through the motor vehicle division to go back every two years, that’s real punishment.” Jennings is known for speaking dismissively about important issues and for mocking legislators and legislation he doesn't like. He apparently believes those are just some of the perks of Senate leadership, and he indulges himself frequently to entertain his captive audience.
Anyway, under his bill, tougher punishments also would be imposed on state workers who are caught selling drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. The penalty would be upgraded to a third degree felony.
Take Action: Call or email your Senator and urge them to reject any bill to repeal driver's licenses for foreign nationals.
March 8, 2011 at 03:42 PM in Border Issues, Hispanic Issues, Immigration, NM Legislature 2011, Susana Martinez | Permalink
Comments
It's all politics. This way Dems can act like they're protecting against the huge fraud Repubs are claiming (like they do on voter fraud) while keeping the licenses for immigrants. They don't have enough backbone to simply quash the Repub push and stick it in Susana's face. Too bad.
Posted by: Leaner | Mar 8, 2011 7:23:35 PM
This should surprise no one. Tim Jennings and the real puppet master of the Senate Mike Sanchez has run Cisco McSorley off the SJC and replaced him with their pet closet-case as chair. Jennings has proposed a "compromise" that actually is a repeal and it now has passed the SJC 7 to 2 and will move to the Senate where it will also pass. So Susana the Tejxana will get her way - NM becomes the kindler and gentler state of Arizona.
Folks need to face it - the number of real Democrats in the House and Senate is much lower than they think.
Meanwhile the Theater of the Politically Bizarre continues in NM - Leather Heather, another well know closet case, has announced she will be running for Senate yet again on the "family values" platform. No doubt the plan is that if she wins she and a "fiend" will move to DC and hubby will be left to "work" will little boys again. Folks should get down on their knees and pray the Tea Party crowd talks Pierce or another equally crazy alternative to run again.
Posted by: mwfolsom | Mar 9, 2011 7:56:02 AM
I'm no fan of Tim Jennings, but mwfolsom is wrong to say the bill passed will repeal the licenses. People will have to reapply within two years and every two years after that but they can get the licenses.
Posted by: Esq. | Mar 9, 2011 9:54:54 AM
I am Hispanic and I totally back House Bill 78 in it's present form. No foreignor has the right to come here illegally and expect to obtain a drivers license. If you want to help them then go to their country and do it. The vast majority of New Mexicans are against issuing drivers licenses to illegals. Are our state senators going to honor our wishes?
Posted by: AnthonyM | Mar 9, 2011 11:06:49 AM
It is to late AnthonyM. The committee has passed a compromise amendment and that is how the legislature works. Many of these immigrants have been here a long time and have families and work hard. Why should they be treated like criminals when they took jobs offered to them so they can feed their families? If you wouldn't do the same thing, you must not be human.
Posted by: Elise | Mar 9, 2011 11:58:27 AM
