The Legislature is moving to give unlicensed drivers more of a break.
Last year, the Legislature passed a bill that Gov. Jerry Brown signed that prohibited police from impounding cars of most unlicensed drivers stopped at DUI checkpoints.
On Thursday, the Assembly approved 46-24 a measure that would extend that prohibition to routine traffic stops.
“In California, we allow unlicensed drivers the opportunity to buy cars, register them and buy insurance, but at the first incident where they may be stopped for not having a tail light on, instead of getting a ticket, they are given a citation and their vehicle is impounded,” the bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, said in a statement .
“At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, impounding vehicles from hard working people who need their vehicles to get to work, to take their children to school or to go to their doctor’s appointments is unconscionable.”
The bill, AB1993, which now goes to the Senate for consideration, has drawn wide support from immigrant advocates and Latino groups because many unlicensed drivers are illegal immigrants who are barred under state law from getting licenses. An unlicensed driver’s car now can be impounded for up to 30 days and usually the owner must pay a hefty fine to get it back.
Under the bill, a police officer who stopped an unlicensed driver in a routine traffic stop could not impound the car if the car could be left parked at the scene or moved to a nearby spot. The unlicensed driver would have to sign an agreement releasing the officer and police department from any liability for leaving the car.
Or, under the bill, the car could be turned over to a licensed driver. If the licensed driver wasn’t a passenger, then the unlicensed driver could call a friend or relative who has a license and the car would be turned over to the licensed driver if he arrived within a “reasonable amount of time.”
If the unlicensed driver didn’t have a phone to call the friend or relative, the bill says the officer could at his discretion help contact that licensed driver.
If these options weren’t available and the car had to be impounded, the bill would require the officer to get permission first from a supervisor.
AB 1993 still would allow impounds of cars of drivers with past serious driving convictions, such as DUI.
To read the bill, CLICK HERE.
To read about last year’s DUI bill, CLICK HERE.
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Marc
Buying a car and insurance does us no good, if they cause a accident the insurance is NO GOOD. Check your policy for the below statement.
” A condition of coverage of any auto policy is that the operator must be licensed to operate a vehicle.”
These laws are putting us all AT RISK.
June 2nd, 2012 7:32 am
Hank
No license , no insurance and illegal. Seems there are more benefits to being illegal than being a citizen. Your uninsured motorest insurance in useless. Once hit by one of these unlicensed , uninsured drivers , the burden of repairs falls on you.
June 2nd, 2012 9:54 am
hannon sutro
Why not just automatically give them a license without any driving test ? What’s the difference?
While your at it, give them 5 to10K in cash to spend as a welcome to California token of their hard work to get here…….
June 2nd, 2012 9:54 am
Maryloo
I didn’t know that any insurance company would issue a policy to someone without a license. It makes no sense.
Also, if an unlicensed person is somehow able to get a policy, they would only get the minimum coverages 15/30/5 which only covers minor fender benders at most. Not much protection for others – that’s why you need lots and lots of under/uninsured motortist coverage for yourself. Your are essentially buying a policy for all the uninsured motorists.
Go on. Keep electing people like Fiona Ma. Then complain about why you need to pay for uninsured motorist coverage.
June 2nd, 2012 10:00 am
Larry
Nanny state.
June 2nd, 2012 10:02 am
C.M. Davis
Marc, Bingo! Would seem Fiona Ma is typical of our Legislators, ignorant of the subject matter……
June 2nd, 2012 10:15 am
C.M. Davis
As well, there is an alternative. Whomever can use their Native license by getting an International permit in their Native Country to use here. It’s good for one year.
June 2nd, 2012 10:18 am
Dave
This is what our government officials are doing instead of creating a balanced budget ? No license means you can’t drive, that’s why tax dollars go to public transportation. I don’t see how giving unlicensed drivers a break is going to help our economy or encourage people to get a license.
How can someone who is supposively educated and in office come up with this idea ? If this bill gets passed then the public should bet a refund for all the million.billions of dollars that have been paid in Public Transportation that is suppose to make it easy for people to get around.
June 2nd, 2012 10:49 am
kelly smith
The first thing an insurance agent asks is for you license. Lets vote these idiots out of office. This is totally geared towards illegals not Americans. It is like BIcycle riders they have no insurance so who’s policy do they get to pay? YOU the car driver. Seems if you are on the road you should have VALID insurance. NO LICENSE NO CAR!!! NO INSURANCE GET OFF THE ROAD!!!
June 2nd, 2012 10:54 am
susan
The PD failed to go one step forward and name the local demo’s who voted for this bill. With some searching I came up with the following names: ALLEN, CHESBRO, YAMADA, HUFFMAN, AMMIANO, BEALL, YAMADA, HAYASHI, and FONG. Remember them at the voting booth.
June 2nd, 2012 12:13 pm
Jeff
Unreal. Only in California are we concerned about giving criminals a helping hand and more preferential treatment than tax paying citizens.
June 2nd, 2012 12:14 pm
OldAsDirt
The Legislature shouldn’t pass laws that make breaking the law less risky. If they don’t think licenses and insurance are essential, repeal that requirement. Don’t make those obeying the law seem to be wasting their time and money.
June 2nd, 2012 12:21 pm
bill
Driver licenses are a racket. Originally implemented to insure the ability to operate a motor vehicle, the license is now a political football and chief misuse of law enforcement to make money. Seldom does the presence or absence of a driver license document have anything to do with the operation of motor vehicles. More often it is motive for harassing citizens of other nations.
Now in the age of driverless cars, we have the beginning of an obsolete system of public safety behaviors that will long entangle us in a web of technology related improprieties.
June 2nd, 2012 12:57 pm
bob
Last week I read about peolpe getting arrested at the courthouse in a sting opperation.Five out of these eight peolpe were white. Where do you racists get your evil ideas? Do you stupid peolpe think that every brown person that gets a ticket for no licennse is illegal? It takes avery small mind to think this way.Besides, the only people who have the right to complain about illegal immigration are native american indians. The rest of us are more than welcome to go back to our own country, where ever that is??
June 2nd, 2012 1:16 pm
bob
In California, we allow unlicensed drivers the opportunity to buy cars, register them and buy insurance, but at the first incident where they may be stopped for not having a tail light on, instead of getting a ticket, they are given a citation and their vehicle is impounded,” the bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco, said in a statement .
This is one of the most stupid statements I ever heard from a politician.
June 2nd, 2012 1:24 pm
Marc
C.M Davis, I got one of those international permit for a trip to Europe and all it does is translate Your current valid Driver License for the country you are in. The country you are visiting has to agree to accept your foreign License and it is only for Visitors as you said for up to 1 year.
June 2nd, 2012 1:30 pm
Alicia Roman
AB 1993 is about equity. There is no equity when vehicles of sober hardworking families are towed for 30 days while drunken drivers vehicle might be impounded for up to 15 days, if at all.
The argument that these vehicles need to be seized and impounded for “safety” to protect us all is unfounded. Most of those cited for “driving a vehicle without ever having been issued a driver’s license” have previously been licensed in this jurisdiction, a foreign jurisdiction or have been driving on our roads for decades without incident.
Yes, I’m aware that accidents happen to licensed and unlicensed drivers alike. However, there is no evidence that those who have shown some licensing authority competency to drive and/or who have not had their licenses suspended or revoked (actually or constructively) are dangerous drivers.
It’s been my experience that most of these “never been licensed” drivers do have insurance.
Thank you Assemblymembers: Allen, Chesbro and Huffman for voting yes to equity!
June 2nd, 2012 5:36 pm
Jeffrey Bean, Jr.
Alicia Roman: If it’s the case as you imply that licensed and unlicensed drivers are about equally competent, why have any type of licensing in the first place? Why not just let everyone drive without a license?
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma says that, “At a time when people are struggling to make ends meet, impounding vehicles from hard working people who need their vehicles to get to work, to take their children to school or to go to their doctor’s appointments is unconscionable.”
So basically she things that the government should turn a blind eye to those who drive without a license because these people “need” to drive. For a lawmaker who is in a legislative body that makes all kinds of laws regulating little aspects of our lives, that is a pretty amazing disregard for laws that she is showing.
June 3rd, 2012 10:27 pm
Zed I zed 73
Why do the rest of us need a license then? tHIS dOES nOT cOMPUTE!
June 4th, 2012 10:01 am
Alicia Roman
Mr. Bean:
The better question is: If this is really about “safety” why not allow all persons irrespective of immigration status to pay the fee, take the test and obtain a license?
I agree that Hon. Ma should introduce a bill that would allow all persons irrespective of immigration status to obtain a license.
June 4th, 2012 1:05 pm
LQQK HERE!
No License No Drive No Special Treatment 4 any one,.
June 4th, 2012 6:58 pm
Steve Klausner
When I was a kid we would vacation in Mexico. Driving through Mexicali Daddy would always carefully instruct his 6 children that if we were in an accident get out and run!
June 4th, 2012 7:44 pm