Under current legislation, undocumented immigrants are not allowed to have a license in Massachusetts. Massachusetts senators passed a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to receive drivers' licenses. margin-bottom: 5px !important; The registrar may review any documents issued by another country to determine whether they may be used as proof of identity or date of birth, according to a summary of the law from the Secretary of States office. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Massachusetts is one of the first states to put repeal of the law to a vote. Jay McMahon, of Fair and Secure Massachusetts, and Sen. Brendan Crighton, of Safer Roads Massachusetts, debated the measure on Greater Boston. Shearer repeated the department's mission statement and goals before launching into the numbers for 2022. V oters will decide on four ballot questions in the 2022 Massachusetts elections on Nov. 8. Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Massachusetts. An estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people could get licenses in the next three years under the law. Im talking about the fear of being deported for taking a sick relative to the hospital or the fear of being deported for taking children to school. Proponents said that H 4805 would increase road safety, reduce hit-and-run accidents, and help families without the required citizenship or immigration information. Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Boston. Visually, the restricted drivers licenses would be oriented vertically, instead of horizontally, Guthrie said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; American Indian issues of State Bill Galvin has said this type of regulation would be feasible to implement. Everyone should have the right to access a drivers license regardless of documentation status., PODER of Idaho gathers 8,000 signatures for a petition in support of license bill. Massachusetts Gov. The push to expand access to driver's licenses to qualified immigrants without legal status continues to gain momentum as public health professionals, business leaders, advocates and. text-align:center; emphasis on political coverage within a state; and, Signature requirement: 1.5 percent of the gubernatorial vote for a referendum or 2 percent of the gubernatorial vote to also suspend the law, Allows for veto referendums on emergency legislation, Successful veto referendum petitions may or may not suspend the targeted law until the election depending on the number of valid signatures submitted. Should the measure be signed into law, Massachusetts would become the 16th state to provide illegal immigrants with the opportunity to get a driver's license - joining California, New York, Utah . His reporting in Idaho has helped uncover a multimillion-dollar investment scam and exposed inaccurate data that school districts submitted to the state. A voter can register online, by mail, or in person at any registration office or the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Massachusetts Gov. CHICOPEE, Mass. The requirements to get a veto referendum certified for the 2022 ballot: If the 1.5 percent threshold is met, the targeted law is not suspended, but it is put before voters at the next general election to be upheld or rejected. Tradues em contexto de "about undocumented immigrants" en ingls-portugus da Reverso Context : I encourage all media organizations to stop using the word "illegal" when talking about undocumented immigrants, because there's nothing illegal about being human. Senate overrides Baker veto: Undocumented immigrants will be able to get driver's licenses," June 9, 2022, "Office of the Governor", "Message from His Excellency the Governor returning with his objections thereto in writing the engrossed Bill relative to work and family mobility (see House, No. To register to vote in Massachusetts, you must be a resident of the state. The governor said the bill "restricts the Registry's ability to share citizenship information with those entities responsible for ensuring that only citizens register for and vote in our elections.". The bill was then. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Last week, Senate President Karen Spilka said that as a granddaughter of immigrants, she has been a long-time supporter of the Work and Family Mobility Act and is pleased to see it move forward. We are a country of rules and laws, the committees website states. Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, sponsored Senate Bill 1081, which would create the new restricted drivers license anyone 16 or older who resides in Idaho could obtain, regardless of whether they have a Social Security number. a summary of the law from the Secretary of States office, filed paperwork to start the ballot question process, the states Elections Division certified 71,883 signatures collected, 47 percent of residents surveyed were opposed to the legislation, a debate on the ballot question on GBHs Greater Boston, Connecticut saw a 9 percent decrease in hit-and-run crashes, several mayors testified on Beacon Hill in support of the law, the statistic is part of a national trend, Another fight is brewing over the undocumented immigrant drivers license law, Here's where the MassGOP stands after Tuesday's election, South Coast Rail: New Bedford, Fall River vote to join the MBTA, A valid unexpired foreign passport or a valid unexpired Consular Identification document. Under the bill (H 4805) expanded access to standard driver's license would begin on July 1, 2023. "This makes our roads safer by requiring that everybody follow the same set of rules," Crighton said. To obtain a restricted license, drivers would have to live in Idaho, be of legal driving age, pass a driving skills and written test and prove their identity with a passport, birth certificate, consular ID card or another form of identification issued by a foreign government or Native American tribe. A "no" vote would . The vote margin was 66% to repeal the law, and 34% to uphold the law. Under the law, called the Work and Family Mobility Act, those who entered the country illegally will be able to apply for a drivers license with certain documents, like a foreign passport or consular identification paperwork. It doesnt make any sense to have drivers not having access to a drivers license, she said. Clark Corbin has more than a decade of experience covering Idaho government and politics. BOSTON (AP) Massachusetts voters will get the chance to decide whether the state should reject a new law allowing immigrants in the country illegally to obtain state driver's licenses. DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS The House, 120-36, approved and sent to the Senate a bill that would allow people who are unable to prove lawful presence in the United States to. Guthrie has worked on the issue for several years and said the focal point of the bill is providing an opportunity for people to obtain a drivers license regardless of their immigration status. The FKGL for the ballot summary is grade level 20, and the FRE is 19. The committee collected over 100,000 signatures to place the veto referendum on the ballot. } width: 50%; YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Any other government document displaying the voter's name and address. The Massachusetts State Senate on Thursday voted in favor of a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. A long-debated proposal to expand driver's license access to undocumented immigrants took a major step Thursday toward becoming law, clearing the Massachusetts Senate with a strong enough margin to overcome the prospect of Gov. In Massachusetts, the number of signatures required to qualify a veto referendum for the ballot is equal to 1.5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. The restricted license would cost $50 and be valid for two years. Members of the diverse and united Driving Families Forward coalition have fought tirelessly for nearly 20 years to allow individuals to apply for driver's licenses regardless of immigration status, and we will continue to fight for this reform as long as it takes. Democratic-controlled General Court overrides Gov. However, the divided committee took the unusual step of sending Senate Bill 1081 to the Senate floor without a recommendation attached to it. Senators voted 32-8 in favor of the controversial reform, which has drawn . [3], .ballot-measure-endorsements p { As of July 1 2022, 18 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico issue driver's licenses or permits to some or all of the population residing without inspection in the United States. During Tuesday's hearing, the organization PODER of Idaho presented a petition with 8,000 signatures supporting the bill to create a restricted driver's license. They cant even suspend licenses from people when theyre supposed to, he said. Question 4 was a veto referendum on House Bill 4805 (H 4805). The law was designed to take effect on July 1, 2023. columns: 1; They will not be able to get a REAL ID. [2], Yes on 4 led the campaign in support of a 'yes' vote on Question 4. Massachusetts requires a two-thirds majority in the General Court to override a veto. Why it matters: Massachusetts is home to more than 200,000 immigrants without legal status, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Otherwise, committees usually kill a bill by voting to hold it. Crighton said residents should vote "yes" in the interest of safety. DEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy. Charlie Baker's veto of a bill that would allow immigrants in the country illegally to obtain state. too many. As a son of immigrants, I can tell you the passage of this legislation would bring hope to the undocumented residents of Idaho, Montelongo told legislators. Public policy. .sbtotalheader { font-weight:bold; Everyone needs to get to work and get to school, so lets do everything we can to get people where theyre going safely.. Opponents of a new law allowing undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts to receive driver's licenses say they have collected enough signatures to put their repeal question onto November's ballot. McMahon cast doubt on the RMVs ability to handle differentiating between citizens and non-citizens. John Milligan, of Fair and Secure Massachusetts, expands on this in his argument explaining the No vote published by the Secretary of States office: In his veto message of this bill, Governor Charlie Baker made it known that the Registry of Motor Vehicles does not have the capability or expertise necessary to verify documents from other countries and notes that, if this bill becomes law, Massachusetts drivers licenses will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.Additionally, Governor Baker states the bill specifically restricts the Registrys ability to share citizenship information with entities responsible for ensuring only citizens register to vote and vote in our elections, significantly increasing the likelihood that noncitizens will register to vote. columns: 2; For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes, president of the Major City Chiefs of Police Association, said last year that the bill would promote trust between law enforcement and all the communities we serve and protect, according to GBH. I think the answer to that is yes.. The secretary of the commonwealth's office announced late Friday that it had certified the signatures needed to put repeal of the law on the November ballot. MassBudget estimated in a March 2020 report that the law could help between 41,000 and 78,000 people get a state license in the first three years after passage. These people are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who are here to be an active part of the American dream, and they arent going anywhere.. In this, I think we might need the wisdom of the whole body as we debate and deliberate this.. In order for our states police officers to best do their jobs and remain safe while doing so, they need to be able to identify whos behind the wheel, he added. Another 39.2 percent said they would vote against the law, while 4.2 percent remained undecided. licenses to qualified immigrants without legal status, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, Massachusetts drivers license bill has momentum to pass despite COVID-19, governors opposition, lawmakers say, Lawmakers renew push to expand drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts, Immigration reforms proposed by President Joe Biden stand to benefit over 200,000 Massachusetts residents, families. Other members of the Idaho Sheriffs Association also spoke in opposition to restricted drivers licenses. The full text of House Bill 4805, which the veto referendum would have overturned, is below:[1]. Larry Fish, chairman of the Board of Directors for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and former CEO of Citizens Bank, noted that the immigrant and undocumented community is being pushed away from places near economic opportunities as a result of the extremely high cost of housing.. H 4805 repealed the provision of state law that says, "No license of any type may be issued to any person who does not have lawful presence in the United States. The overwhelming majority of bills that advance out of Idaho legislative committees are sent to the floor with recommendations the bills pass. [24], To vote in Massachusetts, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. Brazilian Worker Center Executive Director Lenita Reason, center, delivers remarks around midnight rallying supporters of the ballot question. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Massachusetts House passed legislation Wednesday that opens a pathway for some undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses in the state, a move advocates say would make roads safer for all motorists and opponents argue rewards people for entering the country illegally. Gov. The Senate voted 32 to 8 in favor of the measure. During Tuesdays hearing, the organization PODER of Idaho presented a petition with 8,000 signatures supporting the bill to create a restricted drivers license. But this bill should be signed His (Bakers) concerns are baseless. Crighton countered, and said that was a national trend and had nothing to do with undocumented immigrants getting licenses. Republican opposition to the bill was steady throughout its journey through the Legislature, and officeholders and candidates at the GOP convention last weekend in Springfield sporadically and pointedly expressed their opposition to the proposal. The bill required the second document to be a valid unexpired drivers license from any U.S. state or territory, an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a valid unexpired foreign national identification card, a valid unexpired foreign drivers license, or a marriage certificate or divorce decree issued by any state or territory of the United States. How would Idahoans be able to obtain a restricted drivers license under Senate Bill 1081? Last month, the states Elections Division certified 71,883 signatures collected to get the question on the ballot well above the 40,120 signatures required. The law specifies that information provided by or relating to any applicant or license-holder will not be a public record and shall not be disclosed, except as required by federal law or as authorized by Attorney General regulations, and except for purposes of motor vehicle insurance. Several health care providers and advocates said the move would also help address longstanding logistical challenges and inequities faced by the states essential workers and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It received endorsements from Gov. Senate to Debate Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants This Week, Even After Investigation, Stoneham Cop Hasn't Paid Dime of Rent to New Landlord, Tracking the Next Hit of Wintry Weather Headed to New England, Due Late Week, Rescuers Capture Bald Eagle Believed to Be Critically Sickened by Rat Poison, Power Lines Crash Onto Cars, Trucks for Blocks in Stoneham. Eagleson, who noted that licensed drivers are safer drivers, called decisions to limit time on the road heartbreaking, as they impact not only personal health but public health. McMahon also noted issues with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and its capacity to vet foreign documents. Crighton said, however, the statistic is part of a national trend, citing the rising number of deadly crashes over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data["datawrapper-height"]){var t=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var a in e.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r