Undocumented workers have played an integral role in fighting the pandemic keeping Minnesota moving forward while bearing the worst brunt of the COVID-19 health crisis. After electing a historic DFL trifecta, Min ithout lawf tans.
The 2023 Driver's Licenses for All Campaign consists of immigrant rights groups, union members, base-building organizations and community supporters.
The Coalition is committed to restoring access to driver’s licenses to all Minnesotans regardless of immigration status Restoring Driver’s Licenses for All is critical because the contributions of individuals without immigration status to Minnesota are essential Since the beginning of the pandemic, these individuals worked alongside their neighbors to keep the state running while bearing the worst brunt of the pandemic and its economic fallout
The Driver’s Licenses for All Coalition has the support of labor unions, community groups, the business community, faith communities, and law enforcement Minnesota allowed the issuance of driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status or possession of a valid Social Security number until 2003, when that access was eliminated Currently, eighteen states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to allow unauthorized immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses (1) The coalition supports restoring eligibility for a standard, Class D driver’s license to all Minnesotans and ensuring the privacy and protection of databases containing motorists’ information.
Restoring access to Drivers Licenses for All will expand children’s access of healthcare:
Parents without a driver’s license, especially in rural areas, face barriers accessing services such as healthcare, nutrition, and educational opportunities for their children (6). Teens with undocumented parents tend to have higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms These children are more likely to need health care and need a parent with a license to be able to drive them to access care (7)
When Utah began licensing drivers without status, immigrant mothers were better able to get adequate prenatal care (8)
Undocumented workers have played an integral role in fighting the pandemic and keeping Minnesota moving forward. After electing a historic DFL trifecta, Minnesota lawmakers have an unequaled opportunity to restore access to driver’s licenses
Restoring access to Drivers Licenses for All will improve road safety:
When California passed its law to license drivers regardless of immigration status, it saw up to 10 percent fewer hit-and-run crashes per year (2)
In Connecticut, hit-and-run crashes decreased 9 percent, after allowing motorists without status to obtain a driver’s license (3) Both Utah and New Mexico experienced a dramatic drop in uninsured drivers after allowing motorists without status to obtain a driver’s license (4)
Restoring access to Drivers Licenses for All will protect victims of domestic violence:
Victims of domestic violence are particularly vulnerable without access to a driver’s license
Abuse rates among immigrant women are as high as 49 8%, according to the National Organization for Women This crisis was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic (5) Immigrant women have dramatically fewer people they can turn to, and not having a driver’s license impedes their ability to create a safety plan
There are 4 key actions you can take to ensure our government representatives pass this bill into law! No matter if you are an individual, a part of an organization, or a business- you can be a part of restoring Driver's Licenses for All Campaign!
Share on Social Media!
No matter your zip code or immigration status, it's time to show broad support to restore driver's licenses for all! Visit Unidos-MN org to sign our online petition and visit our social media pages to share campaign pictures and updates
Here's a caption idea: After electing a historic Democrat trifecta, Minnesota lawmakers have a path to restore Driver's Licenses for All, join me and call your representative to support this bill! #DL4ALL
Unidos is throwing all hands on deck and we need your support to sustain our communitybased work! We strive to lead from our values of community, leadership, and power. By engaging in grassroots base-building organizing with our community, we are powerful! Donate online at www.givemn.org/organization/Navigatemn
Write a letter of support!
If you, your business, or organization believes in driver's licenses for all, please send us a letter of support via email to our Policy Director Sara Lopez Sara@Unidos-Mn org
Not sure how to start? No worries! We provide some tips on talking to your representative on the next page
Join us on January 3rd!
At 1:00PM on Tuesday, January 3rd, as the Minnesota legislature begins session, the coalition to pass Driver’s License for All will host a press conference to launch its 2023 campaign. This event is to rally support so the law can be signed- it’s not yet an official law!
There will be hearings in the coming months in which you can also be involved. Follow Unidos MN and Coalition partners to stay informed!
Every year the state of Minnesota calls for a "session" In order for the driver's license for all bill to become a law, it needs to go through the full process in the house of representatives while it also moves in the senate.
Theproposedbillstopsby severalcommitteesmade upbyrepresentativesthat willreviewthelanguage, debateinfavororagains theproposedbillandwill votetodeterminewhether thebillcanmovetothe nextcommitteeornot
Iftheproposedbillis votedandpassed throughthedifferent committees,thebill goestothefullhouse ofrepresentativesand isputupforvote
Authorsandco-authors introducebillonce languageiscrafted
TheDriver'slicenseforall billhasitsfirststopinthe transportationcommittee onJanuary10th.Itwill makemorestopsincluding WaysandMeans,and otherpertinent committees Pleasebein thelookoutforhearings
Thereare134 representatives.The driver'slicensesfor allbillneeds50%+1 votetopass Thatis 68votes
IftheDriver's licensefor all proposalis passedbyboth thehouseand thesenate,the billthengoesto thegovernor's desk
Theproposedbillstopsby severalcommitteesmade upbysenatorsthatwill reviewthelanguage, debateinfavororagains theproposedbillandwill votetodeterminewhether thebillcanmovetothe nextcommitteeornot
Iftheproposedbillis votedandpassed throughthedifferent committees,thebill goestothefullsenate floorandisputupfor vote
Authorsandco-authors introducebillonce languageiscrafted
TheDriver'slicenseforall billwillmakeseveralstops includingTransportation, JudiciaryandPublic Safety,andotherpertinent committees.Pleasebein thelookoutforhearings Thisiswhereyourstories canbeheard!
Thereare 67 senators Thedriver's licensesforallbill needs50%+1vote topass Thatis 34 votes.
If the governor of Minnesota signs the bill, it becomes a law and the law is passed to the department of public safety so it can be implemented
Here's some tips to meet with your legislator! During the meeting:
Be patient and keep the conversation to the point Make sure to speak of how a lack of drivers license impacts your daily life or a family members life
Meeting with representatives regarding the things that affect us, like driver's licenses, is easy because our legislators work for US! We don't need to be policy experts, we just need to share our story.
We meet with our representatives to ask for their support on issues Today, we are meeting with them to ask for their support for Drivers Licenses for All A bill that will be worked and voted on during the 2023 MN Legislative session
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Before you start, have roles for people set Since these are short meetings and not long lobby visits, aim to have one facilitator, one to two testimonies (2-3 minutes max), and one notetaker Present yourself with your name and your political organization, Unidos MN
For example: “My name is Rosi and I am here with Unidos Minnesota”
Introduce the other people in the room!
For example: “These are my colleagues (then stay their names)”
Share your petition(s) with the representative:
We are here today to ask for your support for:
A standard, class D, drivers license
To RESTORE drivers licenses for all; as Minnesota distributed them to all regardless of immigration status up until 2003
Currently, eighteen states plus the District of Columbia have enacted laws authorizing drivers licenses for immigrants regardless of immigration status Minnesota is falling behind Make sure to ask for a clear answer to the petition
For example: “Will you support the Drivers Licenses for All Bill, yes or no?” “Will you be voting in favor or against this bill?”
If you have written petitions or letters of support, drop them off in the representatives office along with other materials given to you by your organizer!
Joining us in person on January 3rd? The press conference will be held in the Vault Room in the State Capitol. Here's some maps to help guide you to your elected official's office to rally their support for the bill after the press conference.
This is not the first campaign that is working towards restoring Driver's Licenses for All. However, this political moment is unique and provides a foreseeable path to pass this legislation!
What is the January 3rd event about?
At 1:00PM on Tuesday, January 3rd, as the Minnesota legislature begins session, the coalition to pass Driver's Licenses for All will host a press conference to launch its 2023 campaign
This event is to rally support so the bill can be signed into law- it's not yet an official law!
If I don't have a social security number, can I apply for a driver's license in MN today?
How does a bill become a law in Minnesota?
No! Under the current MN law, only people with a social security number (among other requirements) can apply to receive a MN driver's license. This is why we are fighting to restore Driver's Licenses for All!
The Minnesota government is divided into 3 branches (legislative, executive, and judicial). Each of these branches plays a role in how a bill becomes a law, and how it's carried out! The House and Senate are made up of elected officials Both of these chambers work to propose laws, vote on those laws, and aim to agree on a bill that can be signed by the Governor
What sets this 2023 Driver's Licenses for All Campaign apart?
Unlike previous years, during this legislative session we have a historic Democrat trifecta Minnesota lawmakers have a path to reverse the 2003 decision that took away driver's licenses for all
Chris Burrell, Licensed Undocumented Immigrants May Lead To Safer Roads, Connecticut Finds, New England Center for Investigative Reporting, https://www npr org/2019/05/24/719959760/licensed-undocumentedimmigrants-may-lead-to- safer-roads-connecticut-finds Vallerye Mosquera, “Driving While Undocumented: Chapter 524 Allows Undocumented Immigrants to Apply for Driver ’s Licenses in California”, McGeorge Law Review (2014), p 623, https://scholarlycommons pacific edu/cgi/viewcontent cgi?article=1043&context=mlr
Hans Lueders et al , “Providing driver’s licenses to unauthorized immigrants in California improves traffic safety,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2017) National Organization for Women. “Intimate Partner Violence, Undocumented and Immigrant Women” https://now.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Learn-More-IPV-and-Immigrant-Womenpdf.pdf
Ching, Monique, “Driver’s licenses for immigrants without status -how would it affect Massachusetts?” Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (2021)
Hirokazu Yoshikawa and Jenya Kholoptseva, “Unauthorized immigrant parents and their children’s development: a summary of the evidence”, Migration Policy Institute (2013), p 4, https://www migrationpolicy org/sites/default/files/publications/COI-Yoshikawa pdf
Scott D Rhodes et al , “The Impact of Local Immigration Enforcement Policies on the Health of Immigrant Hispanics/Latinos in the United States” American Journal of Public Health (2015), https://www ncbi nlm nih gov/pubmed/25521886