PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Mailing original driver's licenses and identicards out-of-state.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 46.01.110 and 46.20.119.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: There has been a dramatic increase in the number of individuals obtaining Washington state driver's licenses with no Social Security number coming from states that have historically had very stable immigration rates, strongly suggesting that Washington has become a state of opportunity in which individuals from other states come here to obtain a Washington driver's license and falsely use a Washington residence address and then return to their home states. The department has adopted an emergency rule to address this issue, and has consequently seen a rise in the number of applications for identicards. To address this, the department intends to adopt a rule to limit the circumstances under which it will mail original licenses and identicards to out-of-state addresses.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Internal review and stakeholder input.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Clark J. Holloway, Department of Licensing, P.O. Box 9020, Olympia, WA 98507-9020, (360) 902-3846, cholloway@dol.wa.gov.
November 16, 2010
Clark J. Holloway
Legislative Liaison