BILL NUMBER: AB 522 INTRODUCED

[Emphasis added by American Patrol - More on these bogus cards] 

BILL TEXT

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Diaz
                        FEBRUARY 18, 2003
   An act to add Section 1227 to the Government Code, relating to
Matriculas Consular.

        LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

   AB 522, as introduced, Diaz.  Public officers and employees:
identity of individuals.
   Existing law provides for the issuance of driver's licenses and
identification cards by the Department of Motor Vehicles, as
specified.
   This bill would require every public officer or employee to accept
for purposes of personal identification an identification card
issued by the Mexican Consulate Office, to the extent permitted by
federal law, the same as a driver's license or identification card
issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, or Matricula Consular,
except when possession of a valid driver's license is required by
law.  The bill would also set forth the findings and declarations of
the Legislature in this regard.
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  no.
State-mandated local program:  no.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) Mexican Consular identification cards, or Matriculas Consular,
are state-of-the-art and contain various security safeguards
designed to prevent falsification.
   (b) Various large metropolitan cities and counties, including the
City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the City and County
of San Francisco, the City of Oakland, the County of Santa Clara and
the County of Santa Cruz, currently accept the Matricula Consular as
an official identification card.
   (c) Various financial institutions, such as Wells Fargo Bank, Bank
of America, California Credit Union, and California Union Bank,
accept the Matricula Consular as well; and since November 2001,
Mexican immigrants have opened new bank accounts and deposited over
fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) in banks throughout California.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1227 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   1227.  To the extent permitted by federal law, every public
officer or employee shall accept for purposes of personal
identification an identification card issued by the Mexican Consulate
Office, or Matricula Consular, as equivalent to a driver's license
or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles,
except when possession of a valid driver's license is required by
law.

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