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Senate approves bill requiring SAVE checks for driver's licenses
Summary
The Senate passed Senate File 2187, directing the Department of Transportation to use the federal SAVE system (or a successor) to verify citizenship or lawful immigration status before issuing or renewing driver's licenses and nonoperator ID cards; supporters cited SAVE accuracy, while opponents warned of flawed data and possible disenfranchisement.
Senate File 2187 passed the Senate after debate over whether the federal SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) system should be used by the Department of Transportation to verify citizenship or immigration status for driver's licenses and nonoperator ID cards.
"The bill also prohibits the DOT Department of Transportation, from issuing a driver's license or nonoperator's ID card if the person does not provide proof of US citizenship or proof of a legal immigration status," Senator Kreienbrink said in opening remarks. He moved the bill for final reading and passage.
Opponents urged caution about relying on SAVE data. "The information gleaned from the SAVE program should be considered useful, but not definitive in assessing an individual's citizenship," Senator Winkler said, arguing the system is a query tool with incomplete or outdated records and that automatic queries at renewal could create burdens for applicants.
Kreienbrink responded that USCIS rates the SAVE system highly and that the DOT has an appeals process for individuals who believe they were misidentified. The Senate voted 42 in favor and 5 opposed to pass the bill; the chamber recorded the roll call and declared the bill passed by a constitutional majority.
The bill will be messaged to the House after unanimous consent was granted to immediately transmit the measure.
