NEW LICENSE BILL PROPOSED PREVIOUS EFFORT FOR IMMIGRANT DRIVERS REPEALED.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO - Illegal immigrants who submit to extensive background checks could apply for California driver's licenses under a new bill unveiled Tuesday, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and others likely will oppose it as lacking adequate safeguards.

Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, said his legislation addresses security concerns expressed by Schwarzenegger when he pushed for the repeal of Cedillo's previous law, SB 60, which gave licenses to illegal immigrants without checking their backgrounds first.

``I think that finally we have a solution and a resolution of an ongoing issue that's confronted us for a decade,'' Cedillo said.

But Schwarzenegger's office said the legislation does not yet fully address his concerns.

``There are major issues that still need to be reconciled,'' said Margita Thompson, spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger. ``As long as these unresolved issues exist regarding background checks and insurance to protect people's public safety, much work remains to be done.''

During the recall campaign last year, Schwarzenegger promised to rescind the earlier law but said he would bring it back if it had adequate provisions to prevent criminals and potential terrorists from obtaining a form of legal identification.

Cedillo, who agreed to repeal the law passed in former Gov. Gray Davis' last days in office, now proposes requiring undocumented immigrants to undergo extensive background checks and pay higher fees - up to $146 - to get a license. It does not allow information about their immigration status to be shared with federal immigration authorities. It would also require them to apply for citizenship.

Cedillo said the bill would improve highway safety since there are an estimated 2 million illegal immigrants of driving age in the state, and many of them might be operating motor vehicles without licenses or proper instruction.

He is seeking a two-thirds approval for the measure so it can go into effect more quickly than normal legislation, which requires a simple majority in the Legislature.

That could prove difficult, as Cedillo is likely to face opposition from the right - and the left.

``There's no circumstance in which we can reward illegal behavior by giving legal driver's licenses to people who are coming here and breaking the law,'' said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, an influential conservative group.

Spence said if the new bill becomes law, his group would run an initiative campaign to overturn it.

On the other side, the head of the Mexican American Political Association said it is ``racist'' to require one group of people to undergo a more stringent process with a higher fee to obtain a license than another group.

``The position of my organization has been and continues to be that we're advocating for a driver's license for all individuals, irrespective of status,'' said MAPA President Nativo Lopez.

``We don't agree with security checks, we don't agree with increased fees. ... I think the security issue is a canard and it's racist because it's being applied to racially profile a particular sector of the population.''

Harrison Sheppard, [phone]

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com

AT A GLANCE

Here are some key provisions of Sen. Gil Cedillo's new bill that would let illegal immigrants apply for California driver's licenses:

--Undocumented immigrants must pay additional fees, up to $146, for processing and criminal background checks. That includes $5 to fund programs that help illegal immigrants become citizens. Applicants with criminal backgrounds would be ineligible for a license.

--Illegal immigrants must obtain sponsorship from a U.S. citizen who has a driver's license. Sponsors would have no liability if the applicant lies or later commits driving or other offenses.

--Information about an applicant's citizenship status will not be a public record and will not be shared with federal immigration authorities. There will be no special notation on the license indicating citizenship.

--License applicants will be encouraged or required to apply for U.S. citizenship.

--Commercial driver's licenses will still only be available to legal residents.

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AT A GLANCE (see text)