LEGAL PRESENCE FOR A DRIVER’S LICENSE

I have sponsored HB3, a bill that requires legal presence in the United States and, by extension, legal presence in Alaska to qualify for an Alaska driver’s license. I have attempted to get similar legislation passed for four years. Good news: this year’s bill has passed the House State Affairs Committee, and today had its first hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Following are my opening remarks today to the Judiciary Committee:
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Honorable Chair, and honorable members of the Judiciary Committee, thank you for hearing HB3. This bill does basically two things.

Number One: Requires a person to show valid documentary evidence that the person is here with a legal presence and that the person is who they say they are.

Number two: Makes the driver's license expires when that person’s legal presence in Alaska expires.

Why should someone have the privilege of driving a car down the street when they don’t have the legal presence to walk down that same street?

HB 3 is not the Federal Real ID Act. In fact, I sponsored HB 40 in 2003, similar to this bill. That’s two years before the federal Real ID Act became law. Yes, HB 3 may bring Alaska into compliance with certain provisions of the Real ID Act, allowing Alaskans to use their Alaska driver’s license or ID to enter secure federal buildings or to board airplanes. I have no problem with that.

I know some of you may have a problem with the federal Real ID Act. If you do, then you should support HJR 19, which is a resolution opposing the “Real ID Act.” But please don’t throw the baby out with the bath water by opposing this good bill. HB3 should be judged on its own merits.

Having said that, there could be some philosophical reasons some may have for voting against HB 3.

You may believe illegal aliens should be able to have a driver license. Then vote against HB 3.

You believe an Alaskan Driver License and ID card should not be proof that an individual is who they say they are. Then you should vote against HB 3.

But if you believe as I do, that it’s obvious that a legal presence in the State of Alaska should be required for the privilege of driving in Alaska, and that our State Driver license and State Id Card should be proof that a person is who they say the are. Then you should vote for HB 3. Period. End of story. Thank you!
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There was, to my mind, some radical opposition to the bill by the few who testified. Nonetheless, the majority of the Judiciary Committee seemed to be fairly positive. The bill was held in committee for a section by section analysis by Mr. Bannock, the Director of the Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles. Stay tuned!