BATON ROUGE – A House bill that would require the Office of Motor Vehicles to add an image of a flying eagle to a driver’s license as a symbol of verified U.S. citizenship easily advanced to the Senate on a 71-29 vote.

“Any time I can brag about being a United States citizen, I love it,” said Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, the author of House Bill 613.

Horton reflected on her status as a U.S. citizen when proposing her bill, requiring an eagle to be added to Louisiana drivers’ licenses and special identification cards as a mark of U.S. citizenship.

The bill advanced to the House floor on an 8-5 vote by the Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee, with the added comment by Rep. Patricia Moore, D-Monroe, that it would soften difficulties in obtaining proof of citizenship papers under the SAVE America Act.

But on the House floor ahead of Monday's vote, Horton said motor vehicle agencies already know who is a U.S. citizen and who is not. At the time of a license renewal, people will opt to have the eagle on their license or they won't, she said.

The eagle stamp would apply only to license renewals and not to current IDs unless constituents sought it out.

While Horton said this was the simplest piece of legislation she has ever attempted to pass, several Democratic  representatives described the bill as useless and potentially harassing.

“I think this is just a way for harassment, and we don’t recognize that,” said Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, “We are better than this as Louisianans, and we shouldn’t have this.”

Jordan noted the bill would create an increased risk for people getting locked up for questionable status if they did not have the eagle-stamped, updated IDs.

Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, said the bill’s intent was “to take rights from people or limit people.” She referenced Nazi Germany, South African apartheid and the Soviet Union as examples of the consequences of labeling select groups of people.

Republicans argued it was an honor to display one’s citizenship, even in the case of citizenship obtained later.

Rep. Jeffrey Wiley, R-Livingston, said he rarely comes to the floor for debate but was in full support of the bill. “We want this; we need this,” Wiley said, “I would be proud to cast a vote for this bill.” 

Rep. Raymond Cruz, R-Bossier City, reflected on his mother obtaining her U.S. citizenship after coming from Germany.

“She would have loved to have that eagle on her driver’s license,” Cruz said. 

Horton said the bill is “pro-American.”