Governor Jerry Brown just signed a bill that will allow illegal residents of California to obtain driver’s licenses. The new measure, supported by the Police Chiefs Association and the insurance industry, would allow anyone who passes the state’s written and road tests to obtain a special license without establishing immigration status.
The new type of license would be marked as only to be used for driving, not as an official identification document. California is now the 11th state to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a license. There is concern that the new licenses would essentially mark anyone applying for one as an illegal resident, but the law contains provision intended to protect against discrimination. The new bill calls for this type of license to be available by January 2015.
