Thursday, May 31, 2007
News Perdue vetoes bill to increase license penalties
Posted by Alyssa Abkowitz on Thu, May 31, 2007 at 4:41 PM
On Wednesday, Gov. Sonny Perdue vetoed 41 bills, including one that would've increased the penalties for driving without a valid license.
The bill would've made the offense a misdemeanor with a punishment of at least two days in jail and a fine ranging from $500 to $1,000. If a person was caught three times for driving without a license, the individual would be charged with a felony on the fourth conviction.
Advocates of the legislation hoped the bill would help nab illegal immigrants, while opponents said the law could have devastating effects on individuals who may be here lawfully. The arrest of a Canadian tourist who was detained for a minor traffic violation -- partly because she only had a valid Canadian passport -- proved to be enough to have Perdue steer clear of any confusion the law may cause.
When he vetoed the bill, he said: "This broad provision would catch not only those who willfully drive without any valid license, but also persons who move into the state with a valid out-of-state driver’s license that have not obtained a Georgia driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency. ... I fear an unintended consequence of this legislation, as drafted, would subject persons with valid out-of-state driver’s licenses to stout criminal penalties even absent the commission of a willful act."
It's a small victory for the immigrant community, but as Larry Pellegrini, executive director of the Georgia Rural Urban Summit, noted in an e-mail, "Celebrate greatly but be on guard ... because the anti's won't give up and we'll have to fight this again."
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