As our new legislative cycle and year begins, I hope our state lawmakers make expanding access to driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants their top priority. This would benefit all Coloradoans by enhancing public safety and growing our economy.
In 2013, our state Legislature passed legislation providing our state’s undocumented immigrants with the ability to obtain unique driver’s licenses from six DMV locations.
However, this program has not been allocated proper funding and is unable to operate as intended.
As a result, our state’s undocumented immigrants can only obtain driver’s licenses from four DMV locations. Without a funding fix, it could end up being just one.
With appointment back-log and long drives to each DMV location already an issue, this will only be exacerbated should a solution not be found.
Increased license access ensures all Coloradoans, regardless of immigration status, are licensed and insured.
In fact, states who have implemented similar programs have seen a decrease in traffic fatality and uninsured rates.
Our roads aren’t just safer with this program in place. It would help immigrants secure better jobs, save Coloradoans $59 million in insurance premiums annually and provide the auto industry with an additional $118 million in annual revenue.
Gov. Polis has already said this is a priority issue, requesting in his 2019-2020 budget funding to allow the Durango DMV office to provide driver’s licenses.
I hope that Colorado lawmakers will take the governor’s lead and allocate proper funding for this program before our economy and communities suffer further.
Danny Lopez
Durango
