Community Corner

CT House, Minus North Haven's Yaccarino, Approves Driver's Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

In a partisan vote, the House early this morning passed a bill to allow undocumented immigrants to get a Connecticut driver's license. North Haven State Rep. David Yaccarino, a republican, voted against the bill.

Amid reported political rancor, the state House in the wee hours of the morning today agreed that undocumented immigrants can get a Connecticut driver's license. 

The bill passed despite the protest of North Haven's republican state representative, David Yaccarino, who voted against it.  

As the sun was rising, the House voted 74 to 55 on the measure,according to the Connecticut Mirror website.  Most voting in favor of the bill were Democrats while Republicans largely opposed the measure. 

Earlier in the day the House voted 132-0 in favor of a bill that would limit how state and local police officers can hold illegal immigrants for deportation, the website reports. 

The Senate, where Democrats hold a clear majority, votes next on both bills. If they pass, and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signs them into law, Connecticut would join a small number of states to allow licenses to undocumented immigrants. Malloy has said he supports the license measure. 

The state's Office of Legislative Research estimates that 54,000 immigrants could obtain licenses under the bill over the next three years, the Mirror reports. 


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