Forum in Santa Rosa to address driver's licenses for immigrants

State and local county officials will hold a community forum in Santa Rosa on Tuesday evening aimed at providing local residents with the latest information about AB 60, a new state law that will allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses beginning Jan. 1.

The forum, hosted by the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carrillo, will be held at the Cook Middle School multipurpose room from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A DMV representative will give residents an update on state rules for the implementation of the law, currently being reviewed by the department. Officials will discuss the possible identification documents immigrants will need to apply for a driver’s license.

The final list of identification documents is still being hammered out. But one ID, the Mexican voter card, is expected to make the list because it is electronically verifiable, said Jessica Gonzalez, a DMV spokeswoman.

“Right now, under the proposed regulations, it’s the strongest identification card,” Gonzalez said.

DMV officials will also encourage undocumented immigrant residents to begin studying for the test and to gather any documents that prove they are California residents.