Will The Work and Family Mobility Act Help Drivers?
Starting June 9th, Undocumented Immigrants can Legally Obtain a Driver's License in Massachusetts
On June 9th, Massachusetts lawmakers implement the Work and Family Mobility Act which allows undocumented immigrants to apply for a driver’s license in Massachusetts.
The act requires illegal residents to present two forms of identification – a foreign passport and an additional legal document (birth certificate, foreign driver’s license, U.S. marriage certificate, or a driver’s license from a different state) – before taking the proper exams to obtain a license.
After Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker denied the bill, both the Senate and the House voted to override Governor Baker’s veto and made sure that the bill was passed. Rep.Christine Barber states, “The House of Representatives' vote to override Governor Baker's veto will ensure that all drivers know the rules of the road and are registered and insured. We filed this bill to enable all residents, regardless of immigration status, to apply for a driver's license.”
While the law is favored by two-thirds of Massachusetts lawmakers, a recent poll shows that half of the state’s citizens have concerns about giving illegal immigrants a driver’s license.
Supporters of The Work and Family Mobility Act state that it will mitigate the risk of thousands of illegal residents already living in Massachusetts who have to be wary of driving every time they get to their jobs and family obligations for deportation.
Critics argue that allowing the law to pass would have negative impacts on public safety. However, House Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier states, “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.” After Connecticut passed the Public Act 1389 in 2015, studies show a significant reduction in hit-and-runs and by 2019, 50,000 illegal residents had taken all necessary tests to obtain a driver’s license.
Since 2016 over 250,000 undocumented immigrants currently live in Massachusetts which totals 4% of the state’s population. Passing The Work and Family Mobility Act would improve the lives of many drivers on the road and limit the amount of hit and runs incidents in Massachusetts considerably.
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