[Comm-Council] FW: NEWS RELEASE: Governor Signs Executive Order Securing Oregon Driver Licenses and Identification Cards

Fri Nov 16 16:00:17 PST 2007

Lonn Hoklin

Public Affairs Manager

Oregon Department of Administrative Services

503.378.2627

503.428.2169 (cell)

________________________________

From: GOVERNORS Press * Governor's Office
[mailto:Governors.Press at state.or.us] 
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 3:57 PM
Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Governor Signs Executive Order Securing Oregon
Driver Licenses and Identification Cards

Theodore R. Kulongoski

          Governor

NEWS RELEASE

November 16, 2007

Contact: 
Patty Wentz, 503-378-6169

Rem Nivens, 503-378-6496

Governor Signs Executive Order Securing Oregon Driver Licenses and
Identification Cards

Salem- Governor Kulongoski today signed an Executive Order instructing
the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division (DMV) to draft rules
tightening the documentation and identity verification requirements for
licenses and identity cards. 

The Governor took this action because Oregon's current documentation
requirements to prove identity for licenses and ID cards issued through
the DMV are among the most permissive in the country. This, coupled with
Oregon's relatively long eight-year license term, has made Oregon
vulnerable to organizations that bring people to the state to get a
license or ID card they are not entitled to. 

"It is unacceptable for our state to be a magnet for people trying to
illegally obtain a driver license or identification card," said Governor
Kulongoski. "Under this Executive Order, we will secure our licenses and
bring Oregon closer in line with other states." 

Under the Governor's Executive Order (EO 07-22), applicants for new or
renewal driver licenses or ID cards will be required to provide a valid
Social Security number if they have one - which will be verified by the
DMV. They will also have to provide identification such as a passport,
birth certificate, resident card, tribal identification card or a driver
license from another state. 

Applicants who do not have a Social Security number or those whose
number cannot be verified will need to provide additional proof of
identity such as valid U.S. immigration documentation. 

The new rules will not go into effect immediately as it will take the
DMV several months to implement the changes. Before they do go into
effect, the agency will launch an information campaign to ensure
Oregonians know what identification to have in hand when they apply for
or renew licenses or identification cards. 

Governor Kulongoski points out that while the Executive Order tightens
Oregon's permissive system, it does not solve the problem of what to do
about people who are driving but do not have the documentation to prove
they are legally present in the U.S. Any further changes would have to
be made to Oregon statutes through the state legislature. 

"The larger problem is that we must have comprehensive immigration
reform," said Kulongoski. "But until the federal government fixes this
nation's broken immigration system, it will be left to the states to
deal with this issue on a piecemeal basis." 

Attached is a "Question and Answer" document addressing the Executive
Order. 

-30-

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