A New License Compromise

Sen. Pete Campos

One day after a new driver's license bill, endorsed by Gov. Susana Martinez, was introduced in the Senate, Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, came out with his own version of a bill that still would allow undocumented immigrants to drive legally.

Senate bill 578, would create a two-tiered driver's license. One would be a license that would comply with the strict standards of the federal Real ID Act. The other would be for people who could not use the license to board planes or enter federal buildings.  The other would be available to New Mexicans regardless of immigration status.

This is the type of license originally advocated by Senate Republican leader Stuart Ingle of Portales, who ended up sponsoring the more restrictive bill endorsed by the governor. Interestingly, Ingle is a co-sponsor of Campos' bill.

Like Ingles' bill, SB 578 has been assigned to the Senate Public Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee.