Austin American Statesman by Tim Eaton
An immigration-related provision tucked into a must-pass budget bill could have more of an effect on Texans than the high-profile sanctuary cities legislation that the Legislature did not pass.
Throughout the regular and special sessions, lawmakers spent dozens of hours debating and hearing testimony on so-called sanctuary cities legislation, which would prohibit governments from adopting policies that prevent law enforcement from asking about detainees' immigration status. The bill, which was labeled an emergency item by Gov. Rick Perry, never got out of the Legislature.
But a less examined — and arguably more wide-reaching — piece of immigration-related legislation will soon become a law.
A provision in the approved Senate Bill 1, the special session's must-pass school finance bill, will require people to prove U.S. citizenship or legal residence before they can renew or get a Texas driver's license.
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