With a unanimous Senate vote Monday, a spending bill to add money to the program that provides driver’s licenses to immigrants in the country illegally is headed to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s desk.
The immigrant driver’s license legislation vexed state lawmakers for half the session as and Democrats wanted to add money — a partisan fight that colored early negotiations in the split General Assembly.
The GOP effort blocked a supplemental spending bill that the Division of Motor Vehicles needed to maintain operations and led the controversial program , rather than the five original locations across the state. But in the end, to add $62,000 and operate three offices — two more than current practice.
The Democratic-led House approved the conference committee last week and the Republican-controlled Senate did the same without discussion in a 34-0 vote.
It’s far less than the program’s advocates originally wanted. Hickenlooper’s administration to open a total of 10 offices to meet the huge demand for the program. But the Democratic governor is expected to sign the bill.
