By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports
The Senate Transportation Committee sent a bill to the floor Tuesday to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a restricted driver’s license.
Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, introduced the bill. SB 1081 would make available a restricted driver’s license to anyone age 16 and older and without proof of citizenship. Applicants would still have to come in person, pass the Idaho driving test, and provide some form of identification, such as a birth certificate.
The proposed restricted licenses would be vertical, rather than horizontal, and they could not be used to vote, purchase a firearm, or board an airline. The license, issued by the Idaho Transportation Department, would cost $50.
The information ITD collects from the restricted driver’s license applicants would not be harbored from immigration law enforcement. Guthrie said if law enforcement needed or wanted access to the person’s photo and date of birth, it would be made accessible.
Much of the testimony focused on the fact that many of Idaho’s agricultural workers are undocumented, and without a social security number, they cannot currently get a driver’s license. Without a driver’s license, they cannot purchase car insurance.
“Without question, data shows road safety improves with drivers are trained and licensed,” Guthrie told the committee. “Accidents are less deadly when drivers are trained, injuries are less severe, property claims are smaller. The result is from two key factors: a trained driver and an insured driver.”
Chyla Wilson, on behalf of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, testified in support of the bill
“It must be recognized that these individuals are here and they are currently ingrained into our workforce throughout our state and throughout our industry,” she said. “It has been that way for decades and will continue to stay that way into the future until we see workforce and border security reform. Again, this must occur at a federal level though. If this is the status quo we must live with, it is in the interest of the state to protect its citizens and provide safety on Idaho roads.”
Jeff Lavey, director for Idaho Sheriff’s Association, said the sheriffs oppose the proposal.
Terry Derden, in-house counsel for the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, also opposed the bill, citing incidents of fraud in other states.
“The potential for this to create fraud in our system creates a great danger,” Derden said. “The bill doesn’t have any protections against that. It allows criminals to exploit for illicit gain.”
Rick Naerebout, CEO of Idaho Dairyman’s Association, testified in support of the bill, saying they’ve worked with Idaho’s Congressional delegation and to-date, they have failed to get needed reform.
“This bill provides a revenue positive for the state of Idaho, it would reduce the number of uninsured drivers on Idaho roads, it would reduce auto accidents both in numbers and in severity,” he said.
Eric Medina, an organizer for PODER of Idaho, said they had gathered over 8,000 signatures in support of the bill.
“In the nine districts that y’all represent in this committee, we were able to collect over 2,400 signatures, with over half coming from Senator Trakel’s district,” Medina told committee members. “In the end we had signatures from over 34 Idaho’s 44 counties.”
Stephanie Gonzalez Tena spoke in favor of the bill, saying she doesn’t want her family to live in fear of driving leading to deportation.
“I’m talking of the fear of being deported for taking a sick relative to the hospital or the fear of being deported for taking children to school,” she said. “Everyone should have the right to have a driver’s license regardless of documentation status.”
The committee listened to an hour and 45 minutes of testimony and heard from multiple people who knew people unable to get a driver’s license due to citizenship issues.
“I don’t think illegal immigration would be a big deal if it wasn’t for the fact that we have employers illegally hiring these people,” said Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell. “So I find it difficult to reward bad behavior, especially when I’ve had so many immigrants come to me and tell me all the hurdles they had to pass through, how hard they had to work to get here to be here legally. And we’re just gonna start giving privileges away?”
Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, made the motion to send the bill to the floor without recommendation, saying the issue was worth hearing from the full Senate, but not necessarily indicative of her future support on the floor.
Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise, supported Den Hartog’s motion.
“Some will be opposed to it, some will beat us up on the idea that we would vote in such a way,” Winder said. “But I think there is some wisdom in getting it out there, so let’s give it a chance and see what happens.”
Trakel, Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene, and Sen. Phil Hart, R-Kellogg, voted no on the motion, while Den Hartog, Winder, Sen. Doug. Okuniewicz, R-Hayden, Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, and Sen. Rick Just, D-Boise, voted yes. Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, was absent for most of the hearing and the vote.
Ruth Brown | Producer
Ruth Brown grew up in South Dakota and her first job out of college was covering the South Dakota Legislature. She’s since moved on to Idaho lawmakers. Brown spent 10 years working in print journalism, including newspapers such as the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Press, where she’s covered everything from the correctional system to health care issues. She joined Idaho Reports in 2021 and looks forward to telling stories about how state policy can impact the lives of regular Idahoans.
