In your inbox every Thursday morning. Convening a ballot question campaign committee is an early step along the road toward putting a referendum before voters, but it still indicates the law could be short-lived if petitioners -- who have support from Republican gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl -- collect enough signatures in the next two and a half months. 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. Lawmakers have long considered drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants. Senators voted 32-8 in favor of the controversial reform, which has drawn skepticism from Baker and split voters. WebThe state offers 2 types of licenses, 1 of which complies with the REAL ID law for those who can provide proof of lawful presence. And it puts tremendous pressure on cities and towns to do the cleanup on the back end.". "I have very grave concerns about the impacts this bill will have on public safety and the integrity of our elections," Rep. Steve Xiarhos, a Republican, said Wednesday on social media. ", The gubernatorial candidate told business leaders she is among those concerned about the statewide housing shortage and the high costs of living, two days before the man she hopes to succeed in the corner office delivered a similar message dubbing the lack of available and affordable housing an "existential threat.". WebMIRA is proud to be part of the Driving Families Forward Coalition, which is advocating for the Work and Family Mobility Act). Some who opposed the bill agreed with Gomez on one part of his testimony: that it is a pro-business bill. There about 250,000 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts, according to a 2016 report from the American Immigration Council. View All Newsletters. Eli Lilly Will Slash Insulin Costs, Cap Out-Of-Pocket Expenses, FL Man AKA Sedition Panda Charged In Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol Breach: DOJ, CDC Warns Of Extensively-Drug Resistant Stomach Bug, Brothers Kill Groom On Wedding Night: Authorities, Dog Abandoned With Handwritten Note 'A Good Boy,' Loves To Hug & Kiss. A Boston Globe-Suffolk University poll of 800 Massachusetts residents published in the spring showed residents were divided on the issue. "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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The House approved its version of the license access bill in February with a 120-36 vote, well above the number of representatives in support that would be needed to override a veto. That surplus-bound outlook is, well, pick your description from the latest batch offered this week: "rosy," as Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation President Eileen McAnneny put it; "absolutely unprecedented," in the words of MTF's Executive Vice President Doug Howgate; or "just crazy," as Baker told business leaders. Market data provided by Factset. Allowing undocumented immigrants to get around more easily would allow them to increase their earning potential and employers right now are having trouble recruiting qualified workers amid a time of record low unemployment in the state. Vote No On All, Massachusetts Bill Would Provide Free College For Illegal, Massachusetts Senate Bill Would Provide In-State Tuition To, With Howitzers and Helicopters, Western States Trigger, Three Massachusetts Members of Congress Backing, Elizabeth Warren Wants To See More Defense Contractors, Maura Healey To Release Proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget This Week, West Roxbury State Rep Cashing In With Massachusetts Biotechnology Council Gig. "Without a license, a routine traffic stop can have a lasting and traumatic set of repercussions: arrest, ICE detention, deportation. Sign up for the GBH News Politics email newsletter, featuring complete local politics coverage along with insights from our team of political reporters. She's covered politics, immigration, incarceration, and health for The Guardian, DigBoston, The Boston Globe, and The Associated Press. Conservative media is hard to find in Massachusetts. House Republicans unsuccessfully pushed a similar amendment during their debate on the bill, which Baker described as a "perfectly reasonable way to deal with this. "Allowing parents to drive their kids to school, take them to doctor's appointments or be in charge of carpooling to take their kids to soccer, all without the concern they may be separated if they are pulled over, will allow children of undocumented immigrants to breath and have a sigh of relief," said Sen. Adam Gomez, a Springfield Democrat and one of the bill's main sponsors. The 120-36 vote means the bill won the support of more than two-thirds of lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled House enough to override a potential veto by Baker. The bill may look simple, but the issue, as we know, is complicated, said Democratic state Rep. William Straus, co-chair of the Legislatures Joint Committee on Transportation. Huanhua Road Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. Lawmakers voted this week to override his veto of a bill that will allow illegal immigrants in the state to apply for a driver's license. We have far more important problems to fix, Kropper said. For instance, in Colombia, theres a document showing the individuals blood type, and in Guinea, applicants need two documents including an unexpired passport, photo ID and/or birth certificate. Still, he gave credit to one Democrat: Transportation Committee Co-chair Rep. William Straus, who Baker said ensured the administration would have additional time to prepare for the new normal. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. Unfortunately, Massachusetts is a magnet for undocumented people. Connecticut saw a reduction of hit-and run crashes, and a decline in the number of people found guilty of unlicensed driving, a 2019 investigation by the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting found. UL/ CUL Constant Volatge LED Power Supply, UL/ CUL Constant Current LED Power Supply, Room 8055, 5th floor. 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. A Boston Globe-Suffolk University poll of 800 Massachusetts residents published in the spring showed residents were divided on the issue. With the passing of the law, Massachusetts joins 16 other states and Washington D.C., that have similar laws. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The override was not the only display of political strength Democrats made this week. Those who testified largely stuck to the same talking points: that immigrants need drivers licenses to get to work and doctors appointments, that they play a key role in the states workforce, that it would prevent some hit-and-run accidents, that it would result in more Bay State residents with car insurance, and that it would give the state some additional revenue because of licensing and registration fees. "This bill means trust and dignity for immigrants in our state who lack federal status," Chang-Daz said. 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. 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. He also said the bill restricts the registrys ability to share citizenship information with those entities responsible for ensuring only citizens register for and vote in our election.. Please join us as we make a difference in the lives of newcomers. Forty-seven percent said they opposed the drivers license bill, and 46 percent supported it, with 7 percent unsure. Sen. Adam Gomez told members of the Senate that the bill would give undocumented members of the community the same flexibility and options everyone else has in driving. I am one of those who comes to the chamber concerned about some of the provisions before us, concerned because a drivers license is one of the most, if not the most, recognizable, important pieces of identification in our society, bar none, Bruce Tarr, the chambers minority leader, said at the start of the session, the news service reported. Although news of a possible repeal effort spread last week, Baker on Monday said he is "not familiar with that process" when asked if he would support the referendum, adding that he "made pretty clear what my rationale was for vetoing the law.". Maloneys son was killed in 2011 by a drunk driver who did not have legal authorization to live in the United States. We found it incredibly hard a year ago," she said. No. |Contact Us. She said the benefits of allowing individuals to apply for a drivers license regardless of immigration status will become quickly apparent. It will also require all drivers to take a driving test and enroll in auto insurance, which will benefit the state financially. "If somebody can collect the signatures and put a question before the voters, then obviously the voters get a shot at it," Baker said. I think the RMV [Registry of Motor Vehicles] is not equipped to properly vet people coming to the United States from over 100 different countries and being able to reliably decipher their documentation that, first of all, in the different language and second of all, for validity.. I know that the economic purpose of immigration is to depress wages, Kropper said. To apply for a drivers license, immigrants will have to show two documents proving their date of birth and identity, like an unexpired foreign passport, consular identification document or certified copy of a birth certificate. 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. Charlie But for How Long? Outside of spending levels, the budget talks -- which opened with brief public remarks before moving into private -- will feature some significant policy decisions as well, including a Senate proposal to create new licensing protections for Massachusetts reproductive health and gender-affirming care providers who may face legal challenges originating in other states. Two conference committees kicked off their work this week, one tasked with resolving major differences between House and Senate sports betting bills and the other assigned with producing a final annual state budget. The Super Bowl: What Has Happened to America? The Democratic-controlled Massachusetts House of Representatives has passed a bill that will allow undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses. Room 8055, 5th floor. The Massachusetts House approved a bill Wednesday that would let immigrants in the country illegally obtain state drivers licenses. If opponents of the new law pursue that action -- and are successful at gathering signatures -- the timing could line up almost perfectly to put the question before voters at the Nov. 8 election. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A political committee began the process to repeal a new law to allow undocumented immigrants to apply for drivers licenses, just four days after legislators voted to make Massachusetts the 17th state to do that. 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. The state Senate voted 32-8 despite Baker's objection and a day after the House voted 119-36 on the same measure, dubbed the Work and Family Mobility Act. House lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the bill, which passed by a 120-36 vote. The Massachusetts State House in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston. City hopes state legislature boosts shelter aid. Legislative leaders who steered the long-debated bill through the House and Senate said they have some worries about the prospect of a statewide campaign on the topic. She said she wants to leave the measure up to the voters, citing the Globe-Suffolk University poll. 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 new law will allow immigrants without legal status to apply for a standard state drivers license beginning July 1, 2023. Democrat Sens. While the legislation has now cleared both chambers with more than three-quarters of elected lawmakers in support, Bay Staters in general are nearly evenly split on the idea of allowing people without legal immigration status to acquire Massachusetts licenses, according to a new poll. Nineteen states have laws in place that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers license, including Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington. When Massachusetts House and Senate leaders can get most or all of their Democrats on board behind a bill, their supermajority margins render the governor all but inconsequential to what becomes state law. In a 120 to 36 vote, the BOSTON People living in the U.S. illegally would GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. Undocumented immigrants will still Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. Opponents of undocumented drivers license bill point to potential for illegal voting. The campaign will have until Aug. 24 to submit signatures to local election officials for certification and until Sept. 7 to submit them to Secretary of State William Galvin's office. More on Driver's Licenses. "Sorry, we can't have this," Brownsberger told the crowd. The Massachusetts State Senate will debate whether undocumented immigrants should be able to get drivers licenses in formal session Thursday morning. Those seeking a license must present at least two documents. Dongpeng Debao Commercial Center. No. 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 bill, however, didnt gain Senate Appropriations Committee approval, which was needed because of the BMVs estimated $1.4 million cost to develop the new license. They'd have until Aug. 24 to submit signatures to local election officials for certification and then Sept. 7 to submit them to Secretary of State William Galvin's office. Will this be the year the bill passes? Gov. At My Undocumented Life we provide up-to-date information and resources for undocumented immigrants and allies. It would most likely require a two-thirds majority in each chamber of the Massachusetts Legislature for this bill to pass. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Idahos bill Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Senators voted 32-8 in favor of the controversial If passed into law, immigrants would qualify for a Massachusetts standard driver's license if they presented valid proof of identity, date of birth and state residency. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. Lenny Mirra-vs.-Kristin Kassner State Rep Race One of Several Massachusetts Elections Decided By One Vote, ) before the Joint Committee on Transportation. Kathy Lynch, a Republican state committee member from Westford, said she worries that the bill could result in fraud. Ensure that financial reports are prepared according to LIRS, PRM and ORR requirements. The measure is about being safe on the road, according to Elizabeth Sweet, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. Allowing parents to drive their kids to school, take them to doctors appointments or be in charge of carpooling to take their kids to soccer, all without the concern they may be separated if they are pulled over, will allow children of undocumented immigrants to breathe and have a sigh of relief, Sen. Adam Gomez, a Springfield Democrat and one of the bills main sponsors, told the news service. Under the new law, someone in the country illegally would have to provide a passport or consular identification document to apply for a driver's license. Proponents of the bill say it expands access to services for immigrants and helps police if every driver has passed a road test and has an insured and licensed vehicle. Advocates have long said undocumented immigrants would still be tested before driving, and go through qualifications a citizen driver would have to go through something opponents have pointed out as a concern in the past. Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2021/06/24/proponents-opponents-lay-out-arguments-against-drivers-licenses-for-illegal-immigrants-in-massachusetts/, EightPillars of the Modern Democratic Party. The law specifically mandates that the state Registrar of Motor Vehicles develop procedures and regulations to ensure that license The bill still must be approved by the Massachusetts Senate, also controlled by Democrats, before heading to Baker. Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon) testifies before the Senate Transportation Committee regarding his bill to make a restricted driver's license available to all Idaho residents regardless of immigration status. I dont support drivers licenses for people who are undocumented, Baker said during a 2014 GBH debate. Similar ceremonies for other legislation usually feature Baker wielding a pen over the parchment, but in this case it was Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano wielding their override pens. Rep. Christine Barber, a Somerville Democrat who refiled the bill, said people need access to drivers licenses more during the pandemic as they work essential jobs or redistributed. The Senate, which passed the final version of the immigrant license bill with a veto-proof 32-8 vote, is expected to override Baker's veto during its formal session Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Baker vetoed the bill on May 27, saying the Registry of Motor Vehicles did not have the capacity to verify the identities of immigrants without legal status and arguing that the bill "significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote.". It prohibits the Registry of Motor Vehicles from asking about or keeping documents related to immigration status. The bill also states that immigrants eligible for the drivers licenses would not be registered to vote as a result. All the fears and the arguments and the objections have fallen short, said Gonzalez. 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