New Bill Will Likely Make Driver's Licenses More Costly

[jeffrey]

Getting your driver's license could soon be a lot more costly and complicated. Congress, in an attempt to discourage illegal immigration, looks like they will pass a bill which will require applicants to show four different types of identification in order to receive a driver's license.

If the bill passes, people applying and reapplying for a driver's license would have to:

1. Prove that they are in the USA legally
2. Provide documentation of their Social Security number
3. Provide documentation of their home address
4. Show a photo ID




Once the documents are provided, they would be verified with federal databases. The federal database verification process will likely make getting a driver's licence a much more lengthy process than it is. It will likely mean that getting your driver's license the same day that you reapply will no longer be possible.

If the bill passes, it will also be costly. The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates that the new requirements would cost states more than $500 million while the Congressional Budget Office estimates it would cost states $100 million over five years. Either way, the additional costs will at least partially (and most likely all) be passed onto drivers with higher fees.

[skipper]

in my state Maryland you already have to provide 3 forms of ID SS card a proof of residence and a birth certificate or statement of age card or voters registration card

[PrincessPerky]

around here, NC, it is easier to get a liscense than to get a bank savings account.

[deckape]

Just another way to get the working poor off the road and make money doing so, lets get real, people stay up at night developing way to get all our money

[neatdesign]

Virginia tightened up its requirements once it was discovered that there were several terrorists who obtained VA drivers licenses because the system is so lax.

Personally it doesn't bother me, but that's probably because I'm used to this kind of bureaucracy already, dealing with US immigration with my husband. He couldn't get a VA drivers license for 9 months because he had to wait for his work authorization to come through first. Luckily he was legally able to drive on his UK license for 6 months -- but still, it took another 3 months before he could apply for a VA license. I had to drive us around everywhere, and had to be his "chaparone" when he had to hold a learners permit for 30 days before he could get the real thing!

~ Jenney

[gakline]

IL is already bad. I had to provide 4 pieces of proof: Photo ID, Birth certificate, Proof of Residency (home closing papers or utility bill) and SSN card.

It was a pain. All because they had too many scandals.