Advocates Applaud Announcement Of May 1st As Start Date For Expanded Access To Driver’s Licenses To All, Offer Recommendations Moving Forward

In response to New Jersey MVC adoption and introduction of amendments to regulations, advocates continue to urge transparency and timely implementation going forward, and for a moratorium on fines and fees during the on-going pandemic

NEW JERSEY – Tuesday, Jan. 19th, 2021- The Let’s Drive NJ Coalition urges transparency and timely implementation to continue building on the positive outcome of Friday’s New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC)’s adoption of regulations. The coalition applauds the definitive start date for implementation (May 1st) and praises the introduction of amendments to the adopted regulations that would give individuals an option to sign an affidavit attesting to their ineligibility for a Social Security Number (SSN) similar to policies in New York and California. While advocates and impacted community members welcome this news, continued transparency and collaboration with partners will ensure adherence to the timeline and uphold the spirit and intent of the law without further delay. 

At the Friday, January 15th public meeting, the MVC adopted regulations and announced the May 1st implementation date, and introduced amendments to the regulations to expand access to driver’s licenses for qualified residents in New Jersey. The legislation signed into law on December 19th, 2019, was initially slated to go into effect on January 1st, thirteen months after the legislation was signed into law. 

In response to the announced implementation date and the newly introduced amendments, impacted residents and advocates responded and offered immediate next steps as recommendations. 

“This new set of regulations ensures all New Jersey residents who were intended to benefit from the expansion of access to driver’s licenses can do so. After many years of advocacy and struggle, immigrant communities will finally have the ability to drive their kids to school, doctor’s appointments, and grocery shopping. We urge the MVC to meet the May 1st starting date as our communities have waited long enough,” said Itzel Hernandez Community Organizer, AFSC-IRP.

The legislation is estimated to directly benefit over 737,000 New Jersey residents including nearly 450,000 New Jerseyans without immigration status and indirectly benefit by proxy their family and household members. In addition, nearly 300,000 more marginalized communities including those who are formerly incarcerated, low-income households, survivors of domestic violence, and houseless individuals would have improved access under the newly adopted regulations for the bill. 

 “I am glad the vote was made by the MVC to adopt the regulations, but most importantly as a young person without an ITIN number or Social Security Number, I look forward to a speedy amendment process to ensure I can get a license without fear of going to a federal agency. This delay in implementation means people like me will need to continue waiting on a driver’s license,” said Karen S., Youth member of Make the Road New Jersey.

During the public meeting, it was also announced the MVC will include the Department of Corrections Identification Card (DOC ID) in their 6-points of ID system, and also accept letters from public agencies showing receipt of public benefits as residency verification. Black, Latinx, and houseless populations in the state are expected to benefit from the inclusion of these documents. Specifically, those who are formerly incarcerated or those who are houseless are at a higher risk of losing their important identity documents due to the transient nature of their lives. 

“Today we regained hope that New Jersey will eliminate the harm being done largely to Black, Brown, and immigrant families by implementing a standard license that includes our loved ones that are returning citizens, undocumented, houseless, and domestic violence survivors,” said Charlene Walker, Executive Director of Faith in New Jersey. “We continue to encourage the MVC to ensure the doors to communication remain open with the community so we may all support public education and make the process of implementation as smooth as possible. Together we will make New Jersey a state where all people are safe, have access to opportunity, and can thrive.” 

As the state looks forward to May 1st as the start date for expanded access to driver’s licenses for all New Jerseyans, advocates are also calling on New Jersey

leadership to ensure the consequences of the delay in implementation are addressed.

“The grave health and economic losses from the COVID19 pandemic for immigrant, Latinx, and Black community are exacerbated by the delay in access to a driver’s license. New Jersey leaders must address these magnified repercussions by placing a moratorium on fines and fees for residents who need to drive without a license throughout the pandemic,” said Amy Torres, Executive Director of the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice and convening organization for the Let’s Drive NJ coalition. “Immigrant families and essential workers continue to need a go about their lives with severe limitations on their mobility during this time. Essential tasks such as taking your child to a medical appointment, driving to work, or even getting to a Covid19 testing center or vaccination appointment are hindered with the additional four months of delays.”

“We are content with the vote in favor of the driver license regulations. It is a step closer to our main goal which it is to finally be able to obtain driver’s licenses for all. However, we need the MVC to keep their word and finalize the implementation as soon as possible. There are many people like me that have been waiting 26 years for this and have advocated for it since 2000. Our community needs access to driver’s licenses as soon as possible. Obtaining it would take away from us part of the constant stress and anxiety we face each day,” said Cristian Dardon – Wind of the Spirit Collectivo member. 

“We commend the Motor Vehicle Commission for recognizing the importance of the affidavit option to obtain a driver’s license, and ensuring driver’s licenses truly are accessible to all. The ACLU of New Jersey, along with our partners in the Let’s Drive NJ Campaign and more than 1,300 members of the public, submitted comments recommending these changes, and we welcome the opportunity to work together with the state to support the implementation of this landmark legislation. The proposed rule change means that all eligible New Jerseyans will be able to apply for driver’s licenses without being forced to share their personal information with federal agencies, making the MVC’s services accessible to hundreds of thousands of eligible New Jerseyans,” said Alejandra Sorto, ACLU of New Jersey campaign strategist.

Let’s Drive NJ brings together over eighty community, faith, labor, social service, and advocacy organizations to push to expand access to driver’s licenses in the Garden State.

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