Greenlight driver's license legislation advances

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Albany, N.Y. (WBEN) - The so-called Greenlight legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to gain driver's license in New York State made an advance in the Assembly Wednesday but faces an uncertain and challenging future in the Senate.

On Wednesday the bill cleared a key assembly committee and is expected to be voted on by the full house next week.The reception for the legislation in the Senate is a much different matter where Democrats from conservative districts are not sure whether they can support it.

Earlier this week Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw released a report that outlines the negative consequences that will be caused by granting illegal aliens the right to obtain a valid New York State driver’s license. At the request of County Clerk Michael P. Kearns, Comptroller Mychajliw investigated the issue and found numerous negative consequences to law abiding taxpayers and law enforcement.

There were two major areas of concern about giving illegal immigrants a valid N.Y.S. driver’s license. One, it opens the door to potential voter fraud by allowing them to register to vote via New York State’s “Motor-Voter” law. Two, it stops police officers from protecting the public by blocking them from even being able to check the name of a suspected illegal immigrant in the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicles database.

“If this law passes, it gives illegal immigrants more rights and protections than law abiding citizens. Our report raises serious issues that lawmakers either don’t care about or are choosing to ignore. Armed with the information in my report, lawmakers would be hard pressed to pass this ill-advised proposal that puts the public and police at risk,” said Comptroller Mychajliw. “This proposal is fundamentally unfair to law-abiding citizens.