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Temporary driver’s license, state ID bill sent to Bredesen

By: Perla Trevizo
(Contact)

Included in this article

Terry Olsen

PDF: HB 2901/SB2907

A bill that would remove a one-year requirement that left some legal residents unable to drive is awaiting Gov. Phil Bredesen’s signature to become law effective immediately.

A state law that went into effect Oct. 1, 2007, stated the Tennessee Department of Safety may issue a temporary driver’s license or identification to people legally in the United States, but for no less than one year or more than five years.

Terry Olsen, a local immigration attorney, said the law was affecting people who have employment authorization cards, which are issued only for a year at a time, or who have pending permanent residency applications.

“By the time you get the employment authorization card it’s already valid for less than a year, which meant thousands of people in the state weren’t able to drive” Mr. Olsen said.

The bill passed 93-0 in the House last week and 27-0 in the Senate on Feb. 6.

House Majority Leader Gary Odom, D-Nashville, who sponsored the change, said it was needed to help legal immigrants and visitors obtain driver’s licenses that better match the time they will be in the country.

“Most of the time we’re talking about college professors who are here visiting our universities; we’re talking about medical personnel ... who are here sometimes less than a year,” he said.

Employees and executives at companies including Nissan Motor Co. also have been affected.

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition Policy Director Stephen Fotopulos said the law needed to be changed and he is glad to see the bill pass. He said the bill would change only “a very small ‘symptom’ of what is a bigger, more troublesome policy.”

“This whole ordeal is a pretty good example of what can happen when state government agencies are required to become document experts,” he added.

The bill would remove the one-year requirement, and according to the estimated fiscal impact, it would increase state revenues by $30,500 with the issuance of more than 1,000 additional temporary driver’s licenses and 500 photo IDs.

TEMPORARY LICENSES

Previous requirements for temporary licenses:

* Tennessee residents in the country on a legal, temporary basis can apply for a temporary driver’s license or temporary identification license.

* The licenses were valid for no less than a year and no longer than five years.

* All documents presented as proof of temporary legal presence had to show a minimum of one year of authorized stay remaining from the date of the application.

* Potential applicants include temporary workers, foreign students and spouse/family members.

* Documents needed to receive the licenses include a valid foreign passport with appropriate forms allowing entry to the country, a temporary resident identification card, a conditional resident alien card or an employment authorization card.

Source: Tennessee Department of Safety