The Roundhouse in Santa Fe (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
The House and Senate both refused this evening to accept the other chamber’s version of a controversial bill dealing with driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, so a conference committee will try to work out the differences.
The House-approved version of House Bill 78, sponsored by Rep. Andy Nuñez, DTS-Hatch, would repeal a law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. The senate-approved version seeks to address concerns about people fraudulently obtaining licenses by tightening requirements while still allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain licenses.
Senators rejected the House version of the bill on a voice vote, but not before Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said the amendments the Senate put on the bill “protect the public, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Gov. Susana Martinez is backing the House version of the bill and says she will not sign the Senate version.