Number
181816
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. PEREZ, BAUMAN, DODD, BORKOWSKI, JOHNSON, ZIELINSKI, COGGS AND LEWIS
Title
Resolution supporting provisions in the 2019-2020 Biennial Wisconsin State Budget providing full driver license access to all Wisconsin residents who have initiated citizenship application.
Analysis
This resolution expresses the Common Council’s support of provisions in the 2019-2020 Biennial Wisconsin State Budget that provide full driver license access to all Wisconsin residents who have initiated citizenship application.
Body
Whereas, The State of Wisconsin requires U.S. citizenship or legal residence to obtain a State identification card or driver license; and
Whereas, Many communities in Wisconsin lack adequate public transportation, creating barriers for people without a driver license to attend to their basic needs, including commuting to work, taking children to school, shopping for necessities such as food and clothes, going to clinics and hospitals for medical visits, and visiting places of worship; and
Whereas, The U.S. Census Bureau reported in the 2017 American Community Survey that approximately 71 percent of Milwaukee residents regularly drive to work; and
Whereas, Kids Forward, formerly the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, reported in the November 2018 Wisconsin Budget Project document, “Widen the Road: Removing Barriers to Driver License Eligibility Will Improve Safety, Support Families, and Boost Business,” that removing state restrictions would improve overall driver safety by allowing undocumented immigrants to undergo the requisite tests to obtain a license, lower insurance premiums statewide by approximately $16 million by enlarging the pool of insured persons by approximately 28,000, and raise an additional $2 million toward state transportation objectives from the annual vehicle registration fee; and
Whereas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont and Washington have laws that allow driving licensure for undocumented immigrants; and
Whereas, Ensuring all eligible Wisconsin residents access to driver licenses will facilitate the identification of people for law enforcement, including for victims, witnesses, and alleged perpetrators; and
Whereas, All residents of Wisconsin should have equal access to driver licenses; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee requests the Governor of Wisconsin and the State legislature include provisions in the 2019-2020 Biennial State Budget, or as a separate bill, regarding restoration of access to driver licenses for all Wisconsin residents who have initiated the application process for citizenship; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Clerk shall forward copies of this resolution to the offices of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Assembly Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and any state legislator who represents all or part of the City of Milwaukee.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB173814-1
Tea Norfolk
3/12/2019