DENVER – Immigrant-rights advocates gathered at the Colorado Capitol on Wednesday to call on Gov. John Hickenlooper to take a leadership role in restoring funding for driver’s license program for people in the country illegally.
The issue stems from a failure of the Legislature this year to secure funding after Republicans on the Joint Budget Committee blocked the $166,000 needed to keep the program fully operational.
Democrats attempted to restore the funding through an amendment to a separate Department of Revenue spending bill, but Republicans blocked that attempt as well.
A conference committee has been called by both the House and Senate to work on a compromise that would resolve the impasse. That committee has not yet met.
In the meantime, advocates are calling on the governor to wield his power by exercising leadership on the issue.
“We want the governor to work with people on both sides of the aisle to work together so that we restore funding for all five offices and more,” said Amy Palace, operations coordinator for Rights For All People, an immigrant-rights group that organized the rally on Wednesday.
The program was created in 2013 through a law passed when Democrats controlled both the state House and Senate. This year there is a split Legislature, with Democrats controlling the House and Republicans controlling the Senate.
The law passed in the name of safety, with advocates pointing out that roads are safer when more drivers have licenses, including immigrants in the country illegally. Drivers with licenses are more likely to obtain insurance and stay at the scene of an accident.
What irks supporters of the program is that funding already exists thanks to a $50.50 fee charged to applicants. But the Legislature must approve spending the money.
Without the additional funding, four offices would close, leaving only one office open in Denver. That means Durango-area applicants would need to travel nearly seven hours to receive a license.
With only one office open, the state would be able to serve only about 15 people per day, according to a legislative analysis.
Through March 10, there have been 20,032 appointments available through the program, with 8,411 driver’s licenses, 1,464 instruction permits and 1,682 identification cards issued.
Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said he supports the program, adding that his office has been working on an agreement.
“We are trying to negotiate again with both sides to figure it out,” Hickenlooper said at a media availability on Wednesday. “This isn’t taking a penny out of the General Fund. We’re not talking about taking taxpayers’ money.”