The seventh year wasn't a charm for California state senator Gil Cedillo (D-MX), as the Democrat-controlled Assembly Appropriations Committee decided to shelve his latest attempt to give legal California driver's licenses to illegal aliens:

Political insiders suggested the measure was perhaps too controversial for an election year. The bill is opposed by Republicans -- and a majority of voters -- who say licenses would reward people in violation of immigration law.

Republican Schwarzenegger, who is running for re-election, has said he would veto the bill. His Democratic opponent, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, supports the measure.

Appropriations committee chair Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, said she "strongly supports" the public-safety premise behind the bill but said a "rational, productive debate" on the Assembly floor was unlikely.

Cedillo was "angered":

"It is absolutely unacceptable... My intention and my commitment is to move this bill to the floor. We have the right to have this bill debated, voted on and moved to the governor's desk."

Combined with the recent 'Secure' video, this shows that despite the happy, amateurish public polls, the Dems' internal polls probably show just how much trouble they're in because of their constant support for illegal immigration.

UPDATE: As you might expect, "One Bill Gil" has a plan:

"There are a myriad of ways to [pass the bill]... We're going to find one of them to do it... [Cedillo said Democrats shouldn't] gauge our values based on the tenor of the debate... Our convictions transcend that... We have an obligation to develop good public policy. We have a duty to vote on that policy, and we have a duty to move that policy to the governor's desk."

And:

He said he had commitments from Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, to try to find a way to get the bill -- or another measure with similar provisions -- to Schwarzenegger's desk before lawmakers adjourn their 2006 on Aug. 31.

Nunez said he had agreed to work with Cedillo to try to fashion a bill that could pass this year, but he said he opposes provisions of the current Cedillo legislation that would implement the federal Real ID Act, which he said would be costly for the state...

A discussion of that follows.