Governor Dan McKee has signed a bill into law which reduces the fee for a driver privilege card used by illegal immigrants as an alternative to a driver's license.
The new legislation reduces the fee from fifty dollars to twenty-five to bring it in line with the cost charged for renewing a driver's license.
State Representative Karen Alzate says the community of color long-advocated for the driving privilege cards, and that the new bill rectifies an inequality.
"The community of color has long advocated for these driving privilege cards that will keep our roads safer while also helping a portion of our population who struggle daily due to not being able to drive a car to work, or to pick up their kids, or to go about their daily business. The law passed last year acknowledges that individuals with undocumented status are still human beings who deserve the same services and protections that documented residents have access to and in continuing with this spirit of equity, I introduced this bill to lower the fees to obtain a driving privilege card. Our undocumented friends, family and neighbors should not have to pay more than others in order to drive safely and legally and this bill will rectify this inequality,” said Representative Alzate, Chairwoman of the House Special Legislation Committee.
“This bill is about the issue of fairness and correcting an inequality present in the current driving privilege card law. These cards keep our roads safer and we should not be discouraging their use by charging the individuals who need these cards more money than would be paid for renewing a normal driving license,” said Senator Robert Britto of East Providence.
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