BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AB 935
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: frazier
VERSION: 6/9/14
Analysis by: Erin Riches FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 26, 2014
SUBJECT:
Driver's licenses: veteran designation
DESCRIPTION:
This bill requires the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
to offer a driver's license or identification card that includes
the word "VETERAN" on its face.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law authorizes DMV to issue driver's licenses and
identification cards. In order to obtain a driver's license or
identification card, an individual must provide, among other
things, a social security number, verification of birthdate and
legal presence in the U.S., and a thumb print.
Existing law (AB 60 [Alejo], Chapter 524, Statutes of 2013)
requires DMV, beginning January 2015 or upon approval by the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to issue a driver's
license to an individual who is ineligible for a social security
number if the individual can provide additional documentation,
as specified. These licenses are commonly referred to as
"driving privilege only" (DP) licenses, because they cannot be
used for identification purposes. The DP license must include a
recognizable feature on the front of the card, such as the
letters "DP" (driving privilege) instead of "DL" (driver's
license). AB 60 authorizes DMV to initially charge an
additional fee to an individual applying for a DP license, but
DMV has indicated that it will not do so.
This bill :
Requires DMV, beginning November 11, 2015, to include in the
driver's license or identification card application or renewal
form, an option to request the word "VETERAN" to be printed on
the face of the driver's license or identification card.
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Requires DMV to develop an application form jointly with the
state Department of Veterans Affairs to establish verification
of veteran status.
Requires a county veterans service office to verify the
applicant's status as a veteran, sign his or her driver's
license or identification card application form, and return it
to the applicant.
Requires DMV to accept the signed application form as proof of
veteran status.
Requires DMV, upon receiving payment and verification of
veteran status from the applicant, to print the word "VETERAN"
on the face of the applicant's driver's license or
identification card, in a location determined by DMV, and
issue the license or card to the applicant.
Authorizes DMV to charge a fee to each applicant of up to $15
to cover the costs of issuing a veteran driver's license or
identification card.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . An active duty service member carries a military ID.
Upon release from active duty, the military issues a service
member a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release of Discharge from
Active Duty (DD-214), identifying him or her as a veteran.
The author notes that this form, similar to a birth
certificate, is not a practical form of identification. The
author asserts that allowing veterans to obtain a driver's
license or identification card with a "veteran" designation
will enable them to quickly and easily identify themselves as
veterans and access the services and benefits such as
employment, housing, health, and educational assistance to
which they are entitled, without having to carry the DD-214.
The author further states that a veteran driver's license or
identification card would help medical and law enforcement
agencies by alerting them to possible medical trauma such as
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of a
veteran's service.
2.Other states . Currently, 40 states offer veteran driver's
licenses, and several additional states are considering
similar legislation. Some states require the DD-214, while
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others either require additional documentation or accept
supplemental documentation. Some states offer the veteran
driver's license free of charge.
3.Connecting veterans to benefits . This bill requires a county
veterans service office (CVSO) to verify the applicant's
status as a veteran, sign his or her driver's license or
identification card application form, and return it to the
applicant, who may then take it to DMV to get the veteran
driver's license. The Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs'
analysis of a very similar bill notes that this requirement
"has the additional important effect of increasing veteran
traffic to the CVSOs. CVSOs can then facilitate connecting
veterans to all federal, state, and local benefits to which
the veteran may be entitled." Because a DD-214 includes more
personal information than a driver's license or identification
card, a veteran would likely still need his or her DD-214 in
order to obtain government benefits, even if he or she
possesses a veteran driver's license or identification card.
4.Public assistance or a discount lunch ? Veterans' groups
writing in support of the bill state that a veteran driver's
license or identification card would provide a convenient way
for a veteran to verify his or her military service to
businesses, organizations, and events that provide military
discounts to veterans. Indeed, hundreds of stores,
restaurants, online websites, and other services offer
military discounts to service members, retired military,
veterans, spouses, and their families. It is doubtful that
these establishments require a
DD-214 in order to obtain the veteran discount.
5.Slippery slope ? Requiring DMV to issue a special driver's
license for veterans raises the question of whether various
other groups will seek similar treatment. The state of
Louisiana, for example, recently began issuing a driver's
license, for an additional $5 fee, with the words "I'm a
Cajun" printed on it.
6.Bill history . This bill originally pertained to the San
Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Authority, but the author
amended it on June 9, 2014, to relate to driver's licenses.
This bill was already in this committee, having been referred
here last year, but never heard.
7.Previous legislation : Three similar bills have previously
been introduced in the Assembly. Note that all three of these
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bills required DMV to charge a fee of an unspecified amount to
help cover the costs of issuing the veteran driver's license
or identification card. In contrast, this bill authorizes DMV
to charge a $15 fee.
AB 1637 (Frazier), which was held on the Assembly
Appropriations Committee suspense file earlier this year, is
virtually identical to this bill.
AB 531 (Frazier), which was held on the Assembly
Appropriations Committee suspense file last year, is virtually
identical to this bill.
AB 1725 (Lowenthal) of 2012, which was held on the Assembly
Appropriations Committee suspense file, is virtually identical
to this bill.
Assembly Votes:
Prior votes not relevant.
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Monday,
June 23, 2014.)
SUPPORT: American Federation of State, County, and
Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO
American Legion, Department of California
(sponsor)
AMVETS, Department of California (sponsor)
California Association of County Veterans Service
Officers (sponsor)
California State Commanders Veterans Council
(sponsor)
California Police Chiefs Association
California Professional Firefighters
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Military Officers Association of American,
California Council of Chapters
Solano County Board of Supervisors
Town of Danville
VFW, Department of California
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State
Council
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OPPOSED: None received.