BLOOMINGTON – Mayor Hamilton will call on the Bloomington City Council at their June 7 meeting to consider and adopt a resolution indicating support for a driver card for undocumented Indiana residents.
Resolution 23-09 expresses support for the Indiana General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 248 creating a Driver Card for Indiana residents who cannot provide proof of lawful status in the United States. In passing this resolution, the Council would join a growing number of elected officials and organizations in Indiana cities and towns, and states throughout the country, who have formally endorsed the concept of a credential that permits undocumented residents to drive lawfully. Prerequisites such as obtaining required training, certification, and insurance must be met before the card can be obtained.
The driving privilege card program in Indiana has received bipartisan support as an effort that supports law enforcement and first responders in addition to those obtaining the cards and the communities in which they live. La Voz Unida is the Indiana non-profit organization dedicated to making progress on this effort.
“La Voz Unida will continue to work for the common good; we work on both sides of the aisle trying to bring peace and harmony where dissension may exist,” said Ed Rodriguez, Spokesperson for La Voz Unida. “Our travels in Hoosier communities have proven that we are all good people; we just need to join hands.”
“La Voz Unida continuará trabajando por el bien común; trabajamos para todos tratando de traer paz y armonía donde puede haber desacuerdo”, dijo Ed Rodríguez, vocero de la Voz Unida. “Nuestras visitas en las comunidades “Hoosier” han demostrado que todos somos buenas personas, solo necesitamos unirnos.”
A Driver Card will help undocumented community members safely engage in basic essential activities such as buying groceries, attending school and work, and accessing health care. This will help support Indiana businesses and boost state revenue through fees associated with obtaining the credential. Beyond bringing positive economic and social impacts, an Indiana Driver Card will help ensure that all drivers on Indiana’s roads are trained, certified, insured and identifiable to law enforcement. Driver Cards could not be used to vote, access federal services, or claim citizenship or lawful residence.
“We want community members functioning within the community, not outside of it,” said Mayor John Hamilton. “The passage of Senate Bill 248 would be good for communities, good for the economy, and good for the dignity of our friends and neighbors.”
Learn more about La Voz Unida at: facebook.com/LaVozUnidaPlymouth
Learn more about IN Senate Bill 248 at: https://bton.in/LM38O
