Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and members of the General Assembly have put together a proposed bill that would overhaul the process by which noncitizens can obtain standard driver’s licenses.
The bill would replace the current Temporary Visitor Driver’s License (TVDL) system, and would issue four-year standard driver’s licenses to impacted individuals, according to a press release.
The licenses, which would require additional documentation to obtain for those who currently hold the TVDL cards, would contain the wording “federal limits apply” across the top, in accordance with policies set forth by the federal REAL ID Act.
More than 300,000 motorists currently hold TVDL’s, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
“This legislation will make our roads safer and protects immigrants who are legally available to drive,” Giannoulias said in a statement.
The current TVDL’s are only for use while driving, and cannot be used for identification purposes, according to Giannoulias.
Under the new requirements, undocumented immigrants must pass a driving test and prove they have auto insurance. They must also provide a passport or a consular card to prove their name and date of birth, and provide documents proving they’ve resided in Illinois for at least a year.
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Other states, including California, New York and Colorado, have similar legislation on the books.
Non-REAL ID-compliant identification cards will still be issued by the state.
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According to the legislation, the sharing of driver data will be restricted for immigration enforcement purposes unless agents provide a court-issued warrant, order or subpoena.
More information can be found on the Secretary of State’s Office’s website.
