", "We are once again overcome with happiness, pride and gratitude for today's historic vote in the Massachusetts Senate," 32BJ SEIU Vice President Roxana Rivera and Brazilian Worker Center Executive Director Lenita Reason, who together lead the coalition, said in a joint statement. Baker in the past has voiced support for broader voting by mail, and he signed both the temporary law and extensions to it during the public health crisis. Dongpeng Debao Commercial Center. Fattman said local elections officials in his district had contacted him expressing concerns about the topic, and bill backers fired back that the state already has protections in place to prevent ineligible residents from registering to vote. Undocumented immigrants will still need to prove their identity, date of birth and residency in Massachusetts using a range of documents including either a valid, unexpired foreign passport or a valid, unexpired consular identification document. And join the real revolution. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. It could also prevent undocumented immigrants from fleeing police during a traffic stop for the sake of preventing identification as an undocumented immigrant and risking deportation, supporters say, according to SHNS. The bill could also act as a lure to those in the country illegally knowing they could get a drivers license in Massachusetts, said Republican Rep. Paul Frost, of Auburn. Congestion pricing and other traffic mitigation options are back on the table. APS ASSESSMENT: False. Forty-seven percent said they opposed the drivers license bill, and 46 percent supported it, with 7 percent unsure. Without the support of Republicans who negotiated the final bill, lawmakers began advancing a measure to make mail-in voting and expanded early voting permanent options in Massachusetts. Republican Gov. I do not think that we should be rewarding people for being in the country illegally, Maloney said in a phone interview. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Opponents of a new law that will allow immigrants without legal status to seek driver's licenses took a preliminary step Monday toward asking voters to scrap the measure, while Democrats celebrated their success in pushing the bill and overcoming Gov. Follow us so you don't miss a thing! Green card holders are required to explicitly demonstrate lawful presence, OK? Critics contend it could have negative impacts on public safety and could threaten the electoral process. With the passing of the law, Massachusetts joins 16 other states and Washington D.C., that have similar laws. Nick Collins of Boston, Anne Gobi of Spencer, Marc Pacheco of Taunton, Walter Timilty of Milton and John Velis of Westfield voted against the bill, as did all three Republican senators Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, Ryan Fattman of Sutton and Patrick O'Connor of Weymouth. It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from asking about or keeping documents related to immigration status. "The legislature has now resoundingly supported the Work and Family Mobility Act, moving all state residents toward greater road safety, improved security, better public health and a more vibrant economy, and promising a profound transformation in the lives of undocumented immigrants across the Commonwealth.". She was a reporter for CommonWealth Magazine, and senior immigration reporter for Law360. And I'm disappointed that our governor chose to veto it, and ignore the public safety argument, and get hung up on questions that we think we answered properly to him.". State Representative Christine Barber (D-Somerville) was among those who cited economic reasons for giving drivers licenses to illegals. By, Advocates push for Mass. Bill sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton, a Lynn Democrat, contended that bifurcating licenses awarded to immigrants without legal status and all other licenses could have a "chilling effect" on the bill's goal to get more drivers road tested. State House News Service | City hopes state legislature boosts shelter aid. The Massachusetts State Senate will debate whether undocumented immigrants should be able to get drivers licenses in formal session Thursday morning. They will also have to provide one of five additional documents: a drivers license from another U.S. state or territory; a birth certificate; a foreign national identification card; a foreign drivers license; or a marriage certificate or divorce decree from any U.S. state or territory. Charlie Baker on the legislation. Republican gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl and lieutenant governor candidate Leah Cole Allen said after Thursday's vote they would back a ballot question asking voters to repeal the new law. Immigration reform advocates and some public safety leaders have pressed, often loudly, for more than a decade to grant residents without legal status in the U.S. some form of access to driver's licenses. Here's what we know. Starting July 1, 2023, anyone in Massachusetts regardless of immigration status can apply for a standard driver's license. Action would put mail-in voting and more early voting days on the table for this fall's elections, but for a majority of the legislators responsible for the bill, it won't make all that much of a difference. It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from asking about or keeping documents related to immigration status. "Trying to ensure our driver's licenses have integrity and cannot be misused for various purposes those are important things, and those things don't go away because of the hardships we've heard about," Tarr added. Support GBH. Nineteen states have laws in place that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers license, including Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington. Ninety-two representatives and 16 senators face neither a declared primary nor a general election opponent, essentially granting them a pleasant stroll into another two years in office with next to no campaigning required, no need to answer to their opponents, and none of those candidate debates and Q&A forums. To apply for a license, someone without legal presence would need to provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles with a foreign passport or a consular identification document as well as at least one of five other documents: a driver's license from another state, a foreign driver's license, a birth certificate, a foreign national ID card, or a marriage certificate from any U.S. territory. Opponents of undocumented drivers license bill point to potential for illegal voting. Lawmakers have long considered drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. Pitching the bill as a road safety and immigration measure, supporters said it would ensure that some of the 185,000 immigrants who already live in Massachusetts without legal status are properly tested before driving and relieve their fears of traffic stops spiraling into devastating consequences. Legal Statement. Were talking about a situation now where, under the current statute as I understand it, all the rules associated with determining lawful presence are going to go away. A No vote on the question would repeal the law (H.4805) that is scheduled to make illegal immigrants eligible to obtain drivers licenses starting on July 1, 2023. The poll was conducted from April 24 to April 28 and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. |Products Skeptics and opponents of the bill should look to the experience of the 16 states that have already adopted similar measures, said Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, a Springfield Democrat and son of immigrants. ", "Green card holders are required to explicitly demonstrate lawful presence, OK? Report on 2014 legislation shows most domestic workers don't get basic rights and employers aren't trying to comply. Sen. Sonia Chang-Daz, a Boston Democrat, added that in many of them, the rate of uninsured drivers and hit-and-run crashes dropped after implementation of the policy. Charlie Baker. Senate overrides Baker veto: Undocumented immigrants will be able to get driver's licenses, With override, House moves Massachusetts closer to drivers licenses for unauthorized immigrants, Baker vetoes immigrant license access bill. A second kind of identification could include an unexpired drivers license from any US state or territory, a birth certificate, a valid unexpired foreign national identification card or foreign drivers license, or a marriage certificate issued in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts House passed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses in the state in February by a margin that would override a veto as well, according to SHNS. Market data provided by Factset. Phil Murphy in December 2019 after a long debate, allows for a standard drivers license to be issued to immigrants regardless of legal status. Granting immigration status is the job of the federal government. Oversee budget development for new programs within RIS and update budgets for existing programs. Baker's Driver's License Bill Veto. Existing state law prohibits anyone "who does not have lawful presence in the United States" from acquiring either a standard Massachusetts or expanded REAL ID-compliant driver's license. A bill that would make undocumented immigrants eligible for Massachusetts driver's licenses, appears poised for passage this week after more than 20 years in the making. "Today, the House took a significant step towards bringing all Massachusetts drivers under the same licensing and insurance standards, regardless of immigration status," House Speaker Ron Mariano said. Legal Statement. We know in other states that have passed this bill, passed a form of driver's licenses for immigrants, that hit-and-run accidents go down by 10 percent, House co-sponsor Tricia Farley-Bouvier told GBH News on Thursday morning. A two-thirds vote in the House and Senate would override a potential veto by Baker. and last updated 9:36 AM, Nov 09, 2022. All rights reserved. Minnesota state legislators recently passed the Drivers License for All bill (HF 4), which could pave the way for undocumented immigrants to get valid drivers licenses. At least 16 states, including Connecticut and Vermont, allow residents to get a drivers license or permit regardless of immigration status, supporters say. Minnesota state legislators recently passed the Drivers License for All bill (HF 4), which could pave the way for undocumented immigrants to get valid drivers Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Those people who have elected you to protect them, not just physically protect them in the communities they live in but to protect their jobs, their livelihood, their wages, to give them an opportunity to work hard to provide for their families, to save for a rainy day, opportunities for their children to have summer jobs, opportunities for their 18-year-olds high school graduates to begin careers lifelong careers. Immigration activists have long lobbied for the measure, saying it will help improve public safety including for those who already have drivers licenses by requiring that immigrants demonstrate they can properly operate a car and that they have obtained the needed insurance in the event of an accident. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr rose in opposition to the bill, calling it very, very problematic and citing concerns over voter registration. Thats a problem, Baker said. It can tear families apart, and that is a heavy, heavy burden to carry that fear through the daily activities of one's life.". The vote was 32 to 8, with five Democrats voting with the chambers Republicans against the bill, State House News Service (SHNS) reported. House and Senate leaders will need to agree on final language to send to Baker's desk, which they could try to do informally senators previously said the changes they made before bringing the proposal to the floor were technical in nature or by appointing a conference committee. We sat down with the chiefs and asked what their concerns were and worked with them. Tel: +86 20 81608506, Home The law, signed by Gov. Supporters of the bill said it would allow thousands of unlicensed drivers to travel to work and school without fear and would enhance safety on the road. "In addition to increasing safety on our roads for all drivers, this legislation recognizes the essential role our immigrant neighbors play in our society and economy by ensuring that everyone has access to a drivers license. Stream GBH's Award-Winning Content For Parents And Children. 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