HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2162

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that to access basic needs and fully participate in modern society, it is essential for individuals to have the ability to establish one's identity and obtain and maintain valid government issued identification.

     The legislature further finds that government agencies and other private entities rely upon valid government issued identification or other vital records to verify identity and guard against fraud and other wrongdoing.

     In response to the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, and the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, Congress enacted the REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109–13.  The REAL ID Act established minimum security standards for license issuance and production and prohibits federal agencies from accepting for certain purposes driver's licenses and identification cards from states not meeting the REAL ID Act's minimum standards.  The specific purposes covered by the REAL ID Act are: accessing federal facilities, entering nuclear power plants, and, no sooner than 2016, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft.

     The State of Hawaii has established the necessary minimum security standards and is in compliance with the REAL ID Act.

     The legislature passed Act 172, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, which created a limited purpose driver's license, limited purpose provisional driver's license, and limited purpose instruction permit.  However, the limited purpose driver's licenses, limited purpose provisional driver's licenses, and limited purpose instruction permits are not acceptable for federal identification and voting purposes.  The limited purpose driver's license requires satisfactory proof of identity and Hawaii residency.

     In 2015, the legislature also passed Act 243, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, which provides a process by which a homeless individual may establish a principal address and request a fee waiver from the examiner of drivers to obtain an original or renewal identification card.

     Act 243, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, also created a working group to "conduct research and develop a plan to enable individuals in the State who are unable to produce documentation required for a state civil identification card to obtain satisfactory documentary evidence."  Working group members met and clarified issues that were presented in the written testimony submitted to the legislature for the underlying S.B. No. 273.  The working group also conducted informal research regarding issues that homeless individuals face in replacing government issued identification.

     Service providers reported that: homeless individuals lack sufficient funds to pay fees required to obtain replacement documentation required for the government issued identification; the most common request for document replacement assistance are from individuals from the United States mainland; for certain individuals who have mental health or substance abuse histories, tracking down basic information such as their current name or place of birth may be a lengthy process; because verification processes have changed, there may be a growing population of elderly that will have difficulty updating their government issued identification; and lastly, individuals often require legal assistance to navigate the processes of different jurisdictions and access systems.

     The legislature finds that vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low income individuals, individuals experiencing homelessness, recently released prisoners, and other vulnerable individuals, should be able to maintain current government issued identification.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the homeless programs office of the department of human services to develop or expand homeless services, including assistance and public outreach for individuals to obtain and maintain government issued identification.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the homeless programs office to develop or expand homeless services, including assistance and public outreach for individuals to obtain and maintain government issued identification.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.



 

Report Title:

Government Issued Identification; Appropriation

 

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Homeless Programs Office of the Department of Human Services for services to help the homeless obtain government issued identification.  (HB2162 HD1)

 

 

 

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