(BOSTON—7/27/23) The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday unanimously passed An Act to provide identification to youth and adults experiencing homelessness, to establish a process allowing an adult or youth experiencing homelessness to apply for a free Massachusetts identification card. Identification cards enable access to basic services in the Commonwealth that are often unreachable for those without identification.
“Fees and documentation are not just barriers to identification. By extension, they are barriers to getting a job, accessing healthcare, and applying for services—the most basic of necessities,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “These barriers harm the most vulnerable people in our Commonwealth, and eliminating them is a compassionate step that makes the path to stability a little bit easier. I’d like to thank Senator Robyn Kennedy for sponsoring this bill, Senator Crighton for his support, and my colleagues in the Senate for moving forward with this important piece of legislation.”
“When we listen to our homeless youth about the challenges they face, there is a common denominator and that is access to identification,” said Senator Robyn K. Kennedy (D-Worcester), the Senate sponsor of the bill. “Having proper identification is the foundation to accessing food, shelter and employment opportunities, while also breaking the cycle of poverty.”
“Individuals experiencing homelessness must overcome many obstacles during their search for and transition to more stable and permanent housing,” said Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn), Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. “Through our Transportation Committee public hearing process, we heard from many individuals who shared how having access to an identification card was a critical first step in unlocking economic mobility opportunities, including educational pursuits, access to health care, and applications to available social service programs. By creating a waiver program to expand access to state IDs, we can ensure our available resources are reaching those that need them most.”
People experiencing homelessness currently face prohibitive fees and documentation requirements that can be barriers to acquiring identification. This legislation removes those barriers by eliminating fees and only requiring that applicants present documentation showing that they are currently receiving services provided by the Commonwealth, a homeless service provider, or another service provider.
Having a state identification is a prerequisite for accessing many basic services, including applying for a job, enrolling in school, interacting with law enforcement, accessing government buildings, and opening bank accounts, among others. The struggles of homelessness are compounded by an inability to access these basic services, and often contribute to a cycle of poverty.
This is the fourth consecutive session during which the Senate has adopted similar legislation.
The bill now heads to the Massachusetts House of Representatives for consideration.
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