Bill could require men getting a license to register for the draft

Going to the Motor Vehicle Division to get a driver license could soon entail more than just parallel parking.

A proposal still in the state House yesterday afternoon would automatically register males for the Selective Service System when they pick up a new license or identification card.

The proposal, which is similar to laws used in 26 other states, is designed to raise the sagging numbers of 18-year-olds in Arizona who haven't yet registered, said Victor Schwanbeck, head of Selective Service for Arizona.

A federal law already requires men to register within 30 days after their 18th birthday, but Schwanbeck said 38 percent of 18-year-olds in Arizona have yet to do so, and as they get older, those percentages reach the mid-80s.

Penalties for not registering won't become noticeable until age 26. Then, unregistered men will be barred from federal and state government aid, which includes grants to pay for school, Schwanbeck said.

While the proposal was primarily designed to get more young teenagers to register, a secondary effect would be getting more college-aged males to register when they take up residency.

Are we a nanny state, not only helping make the decision, but compelling them to make it -Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert)

Even immigrants who have attained green cards must register, or face the same penalties, he said.

Schwanbeck added that while men have been prosecuted for not registering in the past, it hasn't happened recently and he doesn't see it happening in the future.

State representative and University of Arizona professor Ted Downing (D-Tucson) said he voted for the proposal and felt it was designed for those who are not attending college.

He said signing up for Selective Service won't expel any rights, and is chiefly used for census purposes.

"It's not only for Selective Service but for tracking population. I don't know anyone who's 18 and thinks they can disappear," Downing said.

But Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert) said that holding the hands of young Arizonans through the process of registering is not necessary.

"My question is: Are we a nanny state, not only helping make the decision but compelling them to make it?" Biggs said.

Downing, however, expressed concern for those that aren't aware of the penalties for not registering.

"This means no scholarships or grants because they're unknowing," he said.

Arizona resident and UA freshman Kyle Beagia, who turned 18 in July, said he was aware of the Selective Service, but still hasn't signed up. He said that if he knew more about the Service, he would have done it more quickly.

"It seems kind of like the draft. Maybe if they had programs or a speech," Beagia said.

Yet some male students believe they have a civic duty and register soon after they reach the legal age.

"I don't see why this would be a problem with people," said Adam Krauseneck, a pre-med sophomore, who registered two years ago, within 30 days of his 18th birthday. "It's kind of a social responsibility."