Driving without license felony under House bill


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/20/08

Driving without a license could become a felony under a bill that passed the Georgia House on Thursday.

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Immigration news

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The words "illegal immigrant" were never mentioned during the 27-minute debate on Senate Bill 350, but lawmakers got the message anyway.

"That's what it's about," said state Rep. Chuck Sims (R-Ambrose), when asked if the bill was aimed at illegal immigrants.

The bill passed in a 99 to 68 vote.

Sims objected to the bill because of the severity of the punishments it would impose. Sims also warned House colleagues that local governments could be forced to spend more money on their jails if the are forced to lock up traffic offenders for months at a time.

"I don't understand why we keep locking folks up," said said. "It's just going to cost the counties more and more money, more to the cities."

The bill, sponsored by Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw), requires a jail sentence of one to five years on the fourth offense of driving without a license in a five-year period. The bill also requires a prison sentence of two days to 12 months on the first offense.

Currently, most people bond out of jail in hours after being caught driving without a license.

"We're having a big problem with people driving that are not licensed," said state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica), citing traffic fatalities involving unlicensed drivers.

The measure could greatly affect illegal immigrants because they are unable to legally obtain a driver's license in Georgia.

State Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Decatur) asked for a reconsideration vote next week to try to defeat the measure. If the move fails to reverse the House vote on Thursday, the measure would head back to the Senate because it was amended by the House.

The amendment would exempt drivers who don't have their licenses with them when stopped by police.

"This deals with someone that's never went and got a license," Bearden said.

Sims suggested another solution.

"I would like to see them confiscate the automobile. You don't have to feed the automobile. You don't have to confiscate the automobile. You don't have to make sure it [goes] to the hospital," Sims said. "If folks can't drive with a license, just lock [the car] up."

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Comments

By Junio

Jun 17, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this

God of israel is god of immigrant too. Don't foget.

By saul

May 22, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

why areyou so blind? just read the papers and you will see how many employers from allusa are lookin for workers so you will see we are not criminals'

By Glenn

May 20, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this

Rep. Sims objects to the bill because many of his constiuents want cheap labor done by illegal immigrants. The bill would protect Georgia citizens. People which drive cars with no license do not have insurance, people involved in accidents with no insurance can put you in the poor house. It cost me over $250,000 because the person at fault in an accident had no insurance, and no estate for me to collect any money from. I have not been able to work or draw any Social Security help, and I am in constant pain. People you better get rid of these illegals, and politicians that look after themselves rather than us.

By Julie

May 17, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this

I like that idea, if they get pulled over and they are an illegal, deport them. This is better than making driving without a license a felony. I have accidentally left my wallet at home a few times in the past few years. Can you imagine how much time it would use up and costs for the public to pay law enforcement to waste time arresting and jailing upstanding citizens? I would rather use that money to sent illegal immigrants AND their children out of the USA. That is another thing, if children are born from illegal immigrants, they should not be considered US citizens. This really puts us between a rock and a hard place when they have children because we have to deal with innocent kids whose parents should not be here. It also affects the quality of all public services because it lowers tax revenue. If someone is not making much of an income, they are not paying much in property taxes which fund our schools as well as other services. It deteriorates the quality of life for ALL Georgians.

By Elliot

May 15, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

I wish there could be as much passion about holding the Bush Admin accountable for the illegal war in Iraq and all the other high crimes and misdemeanors they have committed. Yes, illegal immigration is a problem. But these are poor people seeking the American Dream. Not all illegal aliens are Mexicans or Latinos. Some are from Europe who blend in simply by virtue of their being white. This seem to indicative of white guilt complex. You came for freedom and stole this land from the natives despite your christianity. Now you believe that those seeking freedom and the pursuit of happiness have some evil agenda. The evil is in your hearts you who are devoid of reason and compassion for the poor. " Whatsover you do to the least of my brethren, that you do unto me."

By Elliot

May 15, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this

I wish there could be as much passion about holding the Bush Admin accountable for the illegal war in Iraq and all the other high crimes and misdemeanors they have committed. Yes, illegal immigration is a problem. But these are poor people seeking the American Dream. Not all illegal aliens are Mexicans or Latinos. Some are from Europe who blend in simply by virtue of their being white. This seem to indicative of white guilt complex. You came for freedom and stole this land from the natives despite your christianity. Now you believe that those seeking freedom and the pursuit of happiness have some evil agenda. The evil is in your hearts you who are devoid of reason and compassion for the poor. " Whatsover you do to the least of my brethren, that you do unto me."

By Rick

May 10, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this

Deport all illegal immigrants! They have chosen to break our immigration laws and have caused local taxes to increase as we struggle with the task of building schools and obtaining emergency medical care. They have increased the number of criminals amongst us.

Why should we have to be the outlet for all the poverty in the world, we have been the world's "policeman" for decades. We need to address our own economy and the needs of jobs for Americans.

By Mike C.

May 9, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this

Georgia better get tougher with their illegal immigration laws or else your going to look like Houston and Texas, where Cinco de Mayo is celebrated more than Texas Indpedence Day. Where you can't find a job now unless your bilingual..the young people also. Where your local supermarket and Walgreens display all their signs and announcements in Spanish, and your community is no longer a community because you can't talk to your neighbor...

By william

May 7, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

Actually cops only go after illegal immigrants because the immigrant will have to bond himself out of jail and it's more money to the government out of the hard-working immigrant's pocket and confiscating their cars is more money to the government but an injustice to the hard-working immigrant who most of the time have nothing but their automobiles which they use to go to work. But if the government wants to keep them locked up for months then it would cost alot of money, now if we deport them all back to their countries then food would be 6 times more expensive, we would have to buy food from other countries, who's gonna work in the fields picking up tomatoes? not american i bet... real state would be alot more expensive, alot of things would be more expensive.

By JackHester

May 4, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this

Sleepy can call me a bigot or racist - I don't like mexicans and want to see the booted out. I lived 12 years in Ca, 12 in Az and 1.5 in albuquerque - had to leave all 3 after gangs and illegals chased us on jogging tracks, threatened us at pizza places and gold's gym and clear up in Medford Or and Paso Robles CA - keep the police busy all night as they rob and steal from the convenience stores. If every one of them was DEAD - I would love it.

Georgia should get rid of them all - as Cal and AZ should. Mimi worries that things will cost more - well we Americans owe it to our neighbors to assure that all jobs are done by Americans and at a livable wage. Legal mexicans still support LaRaza and reconquista. So we need to get rid of them too. The people that hire and rent to them should be subject to prison terms or worse. The bleeding heart liberals who bandy that "racist" or "bigot" title around are the real racists - they are racist against White People. DEPORT THEM ALL. Jack

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