This originally appeared in the printed H'ville Times under the title, "Car tag line not longer but is moving slower". This seems a reasonably accurate, factual, non-controversial headline. Yet someone felt it had to be changed, to deny that the new immigration law was to blame -- while the article itself makes clear it certainly is.Tag renewal line long, but not necessarily because of immigration lawBy Keith Clines, The Huntsville Times
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - The line to renew a license plate at the Madison County License Commissioner's office wasn't longer Thursday because of new requirements in a state immigration law, but it did take longer to get through the line because of the law.
Madison County License Director Mark Craig's office began Thursday requiring people applying for vehicle tags to prove U.S. citizenship, in keeping with the state's new immigration law. That law took effect Thursday, the day after a federal judge declined to block it.
Craig said the office will now require an Alabama drivers license number, name and expiration date as proof of citizenship.
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But all was not smooth for everyone. Craig said a woman whose husband is deployed overseas in the military had to go home to look for his birth certificate because the office couldn't accept his Texas driver's license and he had his passport with him overseas.
The office will continue to accept renewals online and through the mail, but will require citizens to go through the state's citizenship verification website, ALverify, at
https://alverify.mvtrip.alabama.gov.***
more:
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/09/post_720.html