Huntsville Senator Paul Sanford to introduce change to immigration law regarding licenses

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- A state legislator from Huntsville said today he will introduce a bill in the next legislative session to tweak a part of the new immigration law concerning the renewal of car tags.
The drawback is that the Legislature isn't scheduled to reconvene until Febuary 2012, which means the proposed change won't have an immediate impact and that motorists will still have to renew their car tags in person and not via mail or the Internet.
Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, said he requested a bill be drafted that wouldn't require annual renewals in person. That provision in the immigration law has come under criticism from state licensing officials.

Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, is introducing a change to the immigration law to ease the process of renewing car tags

"What I've requested is to require physical verification on an initial tag issue to a vehicle," Sanford said. "And then at that point, you would be deemed legal status so there is no need for me the following year to go back down there for the same tag and somebody phuysically check my driver's license and make sure I'm a legitimate citizen."
At issue is Section 30 of the law, which states that those conducting business with the state must demonstrate their citizenship or legal status in the United States. That translates into an annual exercise for renewing car tags.
Violation of that section is a Class C felony.
But licensing officials say it's an unnecessary provision because that verification of citizenship is already on record and no new information is being gathered from the annual renewals.
"It would allow subsequent renewals occur via mail or some counties are doing it via the Internet," Sanford said. "It would allow that as long as that vehicle and the registered owner stay together."
As for the long lines and congestion that could result from this newly-mandated verification of citizenship, it remains a byproduct of the law unless something changes.
"Probably nothing," Sanford said when asked what could be done before his bill could be enacted. "We'll probably have to follow the law unless the federal court that's hearing the case stays the bills and stops it from being enacted or unless there is a possible temporary waiver issued by the governor or the attorney general.
"If it's me and I'm in the license department, I'm going to require it at this point. I'll probably fall victim. My tags renew in September."