State laws permitting this are on the books in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts,[1] Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey,[2] New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,[3] and Washington.
[11] Two years later, California explicitly committed to requiring proof of legal presence for state issued driver's licenses by passing Senate Bill 976.
[11][10] Under SB 976 anyone requesting a driver's license from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) needed to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States.
Gil Cedillo, for example, chipped away at SB 976, an attempt to remove the legal presence requirement in California for state issued driver's licenses.
[11] In 2003, one of Cedillo's proposals (Senate Bill 60) gained significant support in California's State legislature, was signed by former Governor Gray Davis, but did not become law.
However, then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed efforts those bills supported by state legislators such as Cedillo during his term as governor (November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011).
[14] In the past, groups such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform have also supported requiring proof of legal presence to obtain California driver's licenses.
[15][16] Currently still known under its bill number, AB 60 removes the legal proof requirement in California to apply for a state issued driver's licenses.
[30] Finally, the effort to restore access to driver's licenses was passed as an administrative measure through the Department of Motor Vehicles only to be withdrawn in the face of political opposition and criticism.
Al Sharpton who stated: "When routine traffic stops regularly lead to arrests and deportations of Black and Brown New Yorkers, something has to give, ... that's why the Green Light NY bill isn't just a public safety issue — it's a civil rights concern.
Cynthia Nixon, a candidate in the primary, announced alongside Council Member Carlos Menchaca that, if elected, she would issue an executive order to immediately restore access to driver's licenses on her first day in office.
[39][40] Governor Andrew Cuomo, the incumbent, consistently opposed restoring access through an executive order, arguing that history showed such attempts were destined to fail.
[42] Before the contested primary, Kathy Hochul reversed her opposition to restoring driver's licenses, aligning with her running mate, Gov.
[48] Unlike Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins had not publicly omitted to schedule the bill for a vote before the end of the 2019 Legislative Session.
It basically gives a privilege to individuals to drive to work and to school.”[54] Among the Democratic senators, seven opposed the Driver's License Access and Privacy Act: James Skoufis, Kevin Thomas, Monica R. Martinez, Todd Kaminsky, John E. Brooks, Anna M. Kaplan, and Jim Gaughran.