The state House and Senate both overwhelmingly approved the bill earlier this year, but Baker vetoed it on May 27. We've gained support from a wide range of stakeholders over the course of a number of years, said lead sponsor Sen. Brendan Crighton ahead of the vote on Thursday. On Thursday, Crighton said, On the issue of voting, weve debunked it again and again, and again.. Banking as an Undocumented Immigrant. The bill still needs to go through a committee for review, but the deadline for that review has now been delayed until March. Booming inflation intertwining with a runaway-train housing market have created major struggles for voters, who appear more likely in new polling to have economic issues top of mind. "We still need to do something like that if we really want to get our arms around this.". Forty-seven percent said they opposed the drivers license bill, and 46 percent supported it, with 7 percent unsure. We believe that could lead to stigma, open up opportunities to discriminate, Crighton said. With override, House moves Massachusetts closer to drivers licenses for unauthorized immigrants, Baker vetoes immigrant license access bill. 109. Massachusetts Gov. GBH News brings you the stories, local voices, and big ideas that shape our world. The final vote in the Senate was 328 to approve the bill over Baker's objection. These newly-licensed drivers will generate about $6 million in initial fee revenue over the first three years. We post scholarship opportunities that are open to undocumented students, strategies for navigating the educational system, information on how to apply for DACA/Advance Parole, news on DAPA, and much more. 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.". Our lives are safer when every single driver has to pass a road test, a vision test, and obtain insurance.. Notably, the news service reported, the bill would only allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a standard Massachusetts license, not a Real ID license, which will be required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings about a year from now. Undocumented immigrants will still 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 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 Immigrants are being squeezed under kitchen tables, into church basements and into shelters, they say. We did change some of the bill and made sure that we're really clear on the types of documents people need to provide to get licenses, said Rep. Christine Barber, lead co-sponsor of the House bill. Charlie Baker. "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. Charlie Baker has expressed opposition to similar efforts in the past. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For people with disabilities needing assistance with the Public Files, contact Glenn Heath at 617-300-3268. 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. The margin was still more than the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto from the governor. 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. 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. Activists demanding Massachusetts lawmakers override Gov. The hearing featured a wide array of supporters of the bills, including various Democrats in the Massachusetts legislature, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Illegal immigrants in Massachusetts will be able to obtain driver's licenses after state lawmakers voted Thursday to override a veto from Republican Gov. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The licenses would not become available until July 1, 2023. 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. The calendar could shape the dynamics at play there. House Speaker Ron Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, bill sponsors Reps. Christine Barber and Tricia Farley-Bouvier, and Sens. The first must be either a valid unexpired foreign passport or a valid unexpired consular identification. The new law will allow undocumented immigrants to apply for a standard state drivers license beginning July 1, 2023. Charlie Baker's formal opposition. Senators voted 32-8 in favor of the controversial reform, which has drawn skepticism from Baker and split voters. As Beacon Hill moves toward undocumented drivers' licenses, big-city mayors voice support, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility at GBH, Transparency in Coverage Cost-Sharing Disclosures. View All Newsletters. 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.. It will also make it possible for immigrants and refugees to go about their lives with more peace of mind, Sweet said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. The bill also states that immigrants eligible for the drivers licenses would not be registered to vote as a result. We also worked closely with the district attorneys who have seen these cases and seen people who are only going to court because they cant get a license.. Fanghua Guangyuan Electronics Co., Ltd. Ensure that financial reports are prepared according to LIRS, PRM and ORR requirements. Get all the latest from Sanditon on GBH Passport, How one Brookline studio helps artists with disabilities thrive. The bill would not register undocumented immigrants to vote. Support GBH. "I'm not throwing stones, (but) I filed legislation three years ago, before the pandemic, to significantly shift investments in primary care, addiction services, behavioral health and gerontology because we underfund those things. There about 250,000 undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts, according to a 2016 report from the American Immigration Council. Charlie Baker delivers his state of the state address Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020, in the House Chamber at the Statehouse, in Boston. Some who opposed the bill agreed with Gomez on one part of his testimony: that it is a pro-business bill. Illegal immigrants in Massachusetts will be able to obtain driver's licenses after state lawmakers voted Thursday to override a veto from Republican Gov. Join us. After implementing a similar law, Connecticut saw a reduction of hit-and run crashes, and a decline in the number of people found guilty of unlicensed driving, an investigation by the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting found. The @ma_senate looks forward to overriding this misguided decision.". With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. In November, voters in Massachusetts will decide on rejecting a state law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain a drivers license. And join the real revolution. 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. Story tips can be sent tolouis.casiano@fox.com. But the decisive roll calls (119-36 in the House and 32-8 in the Senate) may have just triggered the start of a larger fight. We're 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. Will this be the year the bill passes? Jun 24, 2021. The conference committee that took months to produce an accord agreed to give prospective voters 10 more days before an election to register, but they opted against a Senate-approved policy allowing new voters to register and cast a ballot in one trip to the polls. 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, Power Lines Crash Onto Cars, Trucks for Blocks in Stoneham; Cause Unknown, Rescuers Capture Bald Eagle Believed to Be Critically Sickened by Rat Poison. The bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to get a driver's license in Massachusetts will now become law. Drivers licenses for these people will only serve to encourage more undocumented people to move to Massachusetts.. |Profile 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. Congestion pricing and other traffic mitigation options are back on the table. City hopes state legislature boosts shelter aid. It basically means, in some respects, the Registry is going to be flying blind with respect to what it issues when it issues these licenses. Further, newly-licensed drivers are likely to generate an additional $5 million per year in tax revenue once the law is fully rolled out. How legitimate are those concerns? Support GBH. Sarah Betancourt is a bilingual reporter for GBH News, and longtime Boston muckraker. Conservative media is hard to find in Massachusetts. Consular identification cards are issued by some countries who have citizens living in other countries, and can be used for voting in that foreign country, or for identification. Undocumented workers in some states must choose between driving illegally and risking exposure to the virus by sharing rides. With your support, GBH will continue to innovate, inspire and connect through reporting you value that meets todays moments. This isnt a slam dunk in the world of law enforcement by any reasonable measure.. Dongpeng Debao Commercial Center. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. At My Undocumented Life we provide up-to-date information and resources for undocumented immigrants and allies. "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. APS ASSESSMENT: False. Sarah Betancourt is a bilingual reporter for GBH News, and longtime Boston muckraker. State Representative Christine Barber (D-Somerville) was among those who cited economic reasons for giving drivers licenses to illegals. Sign up for the GBH News Politics email newsletter, featuring complete local politics coverage along with insights from our team of political reporters. 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. Tel: +86 20 81608506, Home 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. Republican Gov. At least 16 states, including Connecticut and Vermont, allow residents to get a drivers license or permit regardless of immigration status, supporters say. We fully support submitting this question to the people to give them a direct say in their future," Diehl said Thursday without making clear. 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. Their bills to accomplish that never surfaced for floor votes, but legislative leaders kept the conversations going behind closed doors. The override was not the only display of political strength Democrats made this week. "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. Maloney said she believes its absolutely possible to collect the signatures necessary to get on the ballot in November. Migrants have faced a warm welcome but major challenges, like housing and education. Former acting ICE director Tom Homan explains how President Biden's border strategy is enticing more illegal immigration and voices concerns with ICE's new policy to consider migrants' military service. Attorney General Maura Healey implored Bay State employers to think about abortion laws, too, saying that heightened restrictions being put in place in other states could cost billions of dollars in productivity "because it actually affects whether women go to school, stay in school, join the workforce, stay in the workforce, contribute to our economy. Licensing allows businesses to attract workers they cannot currently access.. By Christian M. Wade Statehouse Reporter. Rep. Paul Frost, a Republican from Auburn, said it would encourage immigrants to come to Massachusetts without trying to obtain legal status. The new law will allow immigrants without legal status to apply for a standard state drivers license beginning July 1, 2023. 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