New year, renewed efforts to pass the Mass ID Access Bill to ease access to ID cards for people experiencing homelessness

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January 2, 2019

Greetings!

Happiest wishes to you for the new calendar year and for the new legislative cycle! The 2019-2020 legislative session officially got underway today. We are grateful for all of your work during the 2017-2018 session to pass important bills and budget language related to homelessness and housing, including very recent efforts to pass the Mass ID access bill, Senate Bill 2568, during informal legislative sessions.

While An Act to provide identification to homeless youth and families , unfortunately, did not pass the House during the final days of session, your advocacy elevated the need for the Commonwealth to take decisive action to remove barriers to accessing Mass ID cards for people experiencing homelessness.

We are gearing up now with the original bill sponsors, Representative Kay Khan and Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, to work on refiling the #EveryoneNeedsID bill for the new session. As with bill filed last session, the legislation would require the Registry of Motor Vehicles to waive the $25 Mass ID fee for applicants experiencing homelessness, and make it easier for applicants experiencing homelessness without an address to prove Massachusetts residency so as to obtain a standard Mass ID.

If your organization would like to added as an endorser for this session, or is willing to remain as an endorser, please complete this simple form or let us know by email . See our late December 2018 fact sheet with a list of endorsing organizations here. Please also stay tuned for next steps for the weeks ahead, before the January 18th bill filing deadline.

Thank you again for making calls, signing our petitions, writing letters, posting on social media, and visiting the State House. We look forward to partnering with you in 2019 to further build the momentum.

Thank you in advance for your collaboration and continued support in 2019!

In solidarity,

Kelly Turley

Associate Director

kelly@mahomeless.org

Molly Schulman

Community Organizer/Legislative Advocate

molly@mahomeless.org