Guest Op-Ed: Yes on 4: Practical Public Safety and Economic Policy

By Senator Lydia Edwards

Today, every working parent needs to know how to drive a car.   In Wintrhop while, I am excited for creating alternative means of transportation, cars aren’t going any where any time soom.  Therefore,  it is critical that our residents can get to and from work, doctors’ appointments, school or to buy groceries safely. There has been a lot of misinformation shared about The Work & Family Mobility Act, but the bottom line is this – tested and insured drivers make the roads safer for law enforcement and the driving public. That is why I  hope you will join me in voting YES on Question 4. Question 4 is a ballot question concerning driver’s licenses in Massachusetts. A yes vote assures keeping the law we (the legislature) just passed.  A no vote would repeal the law.  The law allows for residents of Massachusetts to apply for and earn a driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status. To obtain a license, you must pass the state standardized road test and be insured.

Assuring that all drivers are tested, licensed, and insured creates safer roads for all of us. That’s why the majority of sheriffs, police chiefs, and district attorneys from across the Commonwealth support Question 4. Allowing people to earn a license, regardless of their immigration status, does not provide for protection against deportation; it also does not allow for drivers to get on planes, access government benefits, or vote.  It only allows a person to operate a motor vehicle. In addition, it would generate $5 million in fees and $6 million in taxes for our state.

Under the law, to apply for a standard driver’s license, applicants will need to provide at least two documents to prove their identity and date of birth. All documents written in a foreign language must be accompanied by a certified translation to English:

• Document #1: valid unexpired foreign passport or valid unexpired consular ID

• Document #2: valid US driver’s license, birth certificate, valid foreign national ID card, valid foreign driver’s license, or a marriage certificate or divorce decree

Residents who cannot prove lawful presence in the United States would remain ineligible for a “REAL ID” which requires documentation of U.S. citizenship or lawful status as a matter of federal law. To protect applicants’ privacy, the legislation also prohibits the RMV from disclosing any information about applicants for and holders of a standard driver’s license except as authorized by regulations promulgated by the Attorney General.

Driving Families Forward is the coalition that has worked tirelessly to push the drivers’-licenses-for-all initiative forward. In addition, Massachusetts district attorneys and police chiefs support the modification because of the public safety factors that it harbors. Leaders in law enforcement understand that insured drivers make the roads safer for all to travel. They also realize that the licenses will reduce the number of hours it takes a law enforcement officer to verify a person’s identity during traffic stops.

Other states that issue these types of licenses have seen a significant reduction in hit-and-run accidents. The District of Columbia and 16 other states have taken the steps toward safer roads for their citizens by passing laws that allow people without status to obtain state driver’s licenses.

Studies show that the number of uninsured drivers drops dramatically when all drivers are given the opportunity to acquire licenses. Drivers generally feel more comfortable knowing they are less likely to foot the bill for damage stemming from an accident caused by someone else. With less barriers to licenses, the probability of a hit-and-run is reduced when more people are covered and accounted for. Licensing all qualified state residents with a Massachusetts driver’s license or ID, is a common sense proposal that allows the 78% of workers in the Commonwealth, who rely on vehicles to get to their jobs, to travel the roads as licensed, registered, and insured drivers. That is why this is supported by a number of labor unions. Immigrants without status are essential workers and card-carrying, dues-paying union members. They are our neighbors, friends, and family and an integral part of our economy and community. The removal of the barrier to licensing ensures consistency of drivers’ safety qualifications and knowledge of the rules of the road.

Additionally, Massachusetts gains an economic benefit from issuing more licenses. More revenue is generated through registration fees, title certification, and inspection costs. Not to mention, the issuing of licenses brings economic stimulation for small businesses not easily accessible by public transit. Having permission to drive should not be conflated with immigration authority, citizenship status, collection agencies, or the numerous arguments used to distract voters from having safer roads and a uniform understanding of the rules of the road.

When November 8th arrives and you’re confronted with the choice of yes or no on Question 4, I ask you to please consider how voting YES on 4  will make our roads safer, make identification processes easier for police officers, and will provide economic stimulus to the Commonwealth.

Lydia Edwards is the State Senator representing Winthrop.

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