SPRINGFIELD (KMOV.com) - Governor Pat Quinn is pushing to allow illegal immigrants in Illinois to get drivers licenses.
Quinn says it's a safety issue since unlicensed illegal immigrants would be forced to take road tests and buy insurance.
Estimates say there are 250,000 unlicensed illegal immigrants driving on Illinois roads. The Illinois Highway Safety Coalition says unlicensed immigrant drivers cost $64 million a year in damage claims and insuring those drivers would save Illinois policy holders $46 million a year in premium payments.
Opposition is expected from some Republicans and downstate Democrats. State Senator Bill Haine (D)-Alton is among those opposed.
"I'm just not going to be for this, I think it's a bad idea", says Haine.
Most of the support for the bill is coming from Chicago area lawmakers. The bill is expected to be written in the coming weeks.
