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Number Of Undocumented Drivers Statewide Set To Hit 1 Million

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) - California could have almost a million undocumented drivers by the end of 2017, according to a new report.

The Department of Motor Vehicles says around 905,000 driver's licenses had been issued through June as part of the passage of Assembly Bill 60, which requires officials to issue an original driver license to any applicants who are able to submit satisfactory proof of identity and residency in California, according to The Sacramento Bee.

When AB 60 took effect in 2015, about 50,000 people residing illegally in California signed up to obtain licenses, and that number grew to about half a million by April 2015.

Since then, however, the DMV says the pace has slowed considerably, with about 11,000 licenses under AB 60 issued last month, the lowest number since the program launched, The Bee reported.

The controversial bill has been credited with a drop in hit-and-run accidents across the state by approximately 7 percent, while others have linked a surge in organ donors to the legislation.

Opponents say AB 60 does not compel drivers to purchase auto insurance, and those who do in order to register their vehicle are no less likely to stop paying their premiums after the car is registered.

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