Senate Votes to Eliminate Driving Certificate Program

Nashville, Tenn. – SB 886 sponsored by Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), was approved unanimously by the full Senate this afternoon.  The bill legally abolishes the failed driving certificate program. 

“Today we simply corrected a mistake that we made three years ago,” said Ketron. 

In 2004 the program was set up to make the roads in Tennessee safer.  A certificate of driving was issued if the applicant failed to provide documentation that they are a citizen of the United States, or documentation issued by the United States government establishing that they are a lawful permanent resident. 

The certificate that was issued clearly stated that it was “for driving purposes only—not valid for identification.”  It quickly became apparent that the program made Tennessee a magnet for illegal aliens wanting to get drivers licenses.

“We were running in to some serious problems,” said Ketron “because undocumented aliens were coming to Tennessee, getting these certificates, and then taking them to other states to receive an official drivers license. Now you have to have the proper documentation to legally drive on the roads in Tennessee.”

A similar measure passed the Senate last year, only to die in the House Transportation Committee. 

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