Committee hearing driver’s license bill

The Legislature’s Transportation Committee is hearing a bill to make changes to Maine’s driver’s license laws, in order to comply with the Department of Homeland Security’s requests in regards to the Real ID Act. Listen in here.

The proposed bill would do the following:

-Require people applying for driver’s licenses to prove they are residents of the United States

-Driver’s licenses issues to “lawfully” present noncitizens must expire at the end of that person’s stay or in six years, whatever comes first

-Requires the state to participate in the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements Program

-Requires the state to find a cost-effective way to make sure people do not have more than one driver’s license or nondriver identification card

-Increase the fee for a six-year noncommercial license from $30 to $36, giving the extra funds to the Secretary of State’s Other Special Revenue Funds

-Funds three positions in the Bureau of Revenue Services to better audit pass-through entity and corporate income tax returns