Resolve, To Direct the Secretary of State To Examine Driver's License Laws

Sec. 1. Secretary of State to examine laws. Resolved: That the Secretary of State shall establish a working group to examine the laws governing eligibility and documentation requirements for applicants for driver’s licenses and nondriver identification cards. The Secretary of State shall seek to include in the working group persons with appropriate and relevant expertise or knowledge with respect to the following: immigration law, the needs and interests of migrant workers and others who may be affected by changes in eligibility requirements or documentation standards and issues related to the issuance of driver’s licenses or nondriver identification cards to illegal aliens or persons who are not Maine residents. The working group shall develop recommendations with respect to limiting eligibility for driver’s licenses and nondriver identification cards to Maine residents and to persons with legal presence status in the United States. The working group shall, at a minimum, examine issues related to standards of residency and proof of residency, standards for determining legal presence status, documentation requirements, methods of verification, the need for exceptions or provisions for special circumstances and the costs of implementing and enforcing such standards and limitations. The Secretary of State shall provide notice of meetings of the working group to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation. The Secretary of State shall report the findings and recommendations of the working group to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation no later than January 15, 2008. The Secretary of State shall include with the report draft legislation to make appropriate changes to the eligibility and documentation requirements for applicants for driver’s licenses and nondriver identification cards based on the findings and recommendations of the working group; and be it further

Sec. 2. Authorization to submit legislation. Resolved: That the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation may submit a bill related to the subject matter of the working group’s report under section 1 to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature.