Earlier today, New Jersey became the fifteenth state plus D.C. and Puerto Rico to expand access to driver’s licenses to all residents, regardless of immigration status. In response to the bill signing, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) releases the following statement.

Erika Nava, Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP): 

“This law sends a clear message to the nation that New Jersey values the dignity of every resident, regardless of their immigration status or where they were born. Driver’s license expansion, more than any other policy, will immediately boost the mobility and economic opportunity of mixed-status households in every corner of the state. Allowing all residents to legally drive will also ensure everyone on the road is properly trained, tested, and insured, making roads safer for all.”

According to a report released on Monday by NJPP, driver’s license expansion will directly benefit over 700,000 residents, including:

• 444,000 immigrants without status
• 288,000 residents earning less than $25,000
• 5,418 formerly incarcerated residents reentering society
• Survivors of domestic violence

Driver’s license expansion will also pay for itself and more, bringing in $90 million in annual revenue, including:

• $3.7 million in registration fees
• $32.3 million in sales tax revenue from purchases made at gas stations and auto part retailers
• $54 million in gas tax revenue

For more information, read: “Top Six Reasons to Expand Access to Driver’s Licenses.”

New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) is a nonpartisan think tank that drives policy change to advance economic, social, and racial justice through evidence-based, independent research, analysis, and advocacy.