Senate Bill 248 / Chamber Supports
Last Tuesday marked somewhat of a milestone for one of the Chamber’s legislative priorities. For the first time in three years, the Senate’s Homeland Security and Transportation Committee heard and passed legislation that would grant driving privileges to illegal immigrants living in Indiana.
Senate Bill 248, authored by Sen. Blake Doriot (R-Goshen), is similar to legislation introduced by Republican and Democrat members from the House and Senate the last few years. Until now, however, the make-up of the committees responsible for hearing the bill made it impossible to pass the first leg of the legislative process.
Testifying in support of the bill, I emphasized that SB 248 is a “pragmatic solution to an issue that impacts all of you, your employees, your family, your constituents – as well as anyone who shares the streets with untrained drivers.” Nineteen states and Washington D.C. have enacted similar legislation.
According to research by the University of Notre Dame, this legislation would result in the following outcomes in Indiana:
• 43,400 different Indiana residents would apply for Driving Privilege Cards (DPCs) in the first three years of the program’s existence. In any given subsequent year, 48% of the eligible population would be expected to apply for a DPC
• Within two years, it will decrease the fatal hit-and-run incidence rate by 3.6%, bringing it below the national average
• The average auto insurance premiums in Indiana would decrease by $25.09 per year
• 77.3% of DPC holders would purchase auto insurance, a rate just 6% lower than the general population
• The law would increase revenue for Indiana automobile insurance companies by $68 million over the first three years
• It would generate roughly $7.2 million in state revenue over three years due to direct revenue and additional tax revenue
• Benefits to law enforcement include the following: community relations, criminal investigations, traffic law enforcements and allocation of resources
Due to the fiscal nature of the bill, it has been recommitted to the Senate Appropriations Committee. It awaits its next hearing, which is not yet scheduled.
