[SDCPJ] Contact Kehoe re. 5/9 vote on linking driver's licenses to a military draft

State Bill Linking Male DRAFT REGISTRATION to Calif. Driver's Licenses faces May 9 Senate Appropriations Committee Vote

 

Senate Bill 251, Selective Service's fifth attempt to pass a bill in California that would link male draft registration to California drivers' licenses, can be stopped on May 9 with enough letters to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee chair, Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), voted against the bill when it was considered by the Transportation and Housing Committee in April.

 

Selective Service wants the DMV to help register people because 14 percent of male Californians fail to do by their 25th birthday. Such a large number of nonregistrations would make a future military draft less workable.

 

Proposed by Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), Senate Bill 251 originally sought to automatically register all males, age 18 to 26, when they apply for a license. The Senate Transportation and Housing Committee approved the bill (7-2), but only on condition that it be changed so that license applicants would be asked to opt in to be registered with Selective Service. However, even this does not change the fact that it would still be a misuse of CA Dept. of Motor Vehicle resources, which are earmarked by law to promote traffic safety. The estimated start-up cost for a similar bill in 2001 was $250,000-$400,000, plus a $20,000 ongoing expense. The DMV's mission should not be expanded to bail out failing federal agencies.

 

SB 251 will be considered by the senate appropriations committee on May 9. Californians should immediately call or write to:

 

Senate Appropriations Committee
State Capitol, Room 2206, Sacramento, CA 94248
Committee phone: (916) 651-4101
Fax for Senator Kehoe, Appropriations Chair: (916) 327-2188

 

Send a copy of your letter to your state senator at: State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 94248. Look up senators at http://www.legislature.ca.gov/. Ask other people to join you in sending letters. For information about committee hearings and deadlines, contact COMD, 760-753-7518, comdsd@aol.com; or register to receive email notices at the bill's Web site (http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html).