Gov. Tim Walz signed into law March 7 legislation to allow undocumented people in Minnesota to apply for state driver’s licenses.
The legislation — known as “Driver’s Licenses for All” — would allow an individual to obtain a Minnesota driver’s license or state identification card without the need to show proof of citizenship or lawful presence in the United States. Proof of lawful presence in the U.S. became a requirement to obtain a Minnesota license or identification card following a rule change implemented in 2003.
“Ensuring drivers in Minnesota are licensed and carry insurance makes the roads safer for everyone,” the governor said in a post to social media. “As a longtime supporter of Driver’s Licenses for All, I’m proud to sign it into law as we move toward making Minnesota a safe state for all.”
HF4 passed the House 69-60 on Jan. 30. The Senate passed the bill Feb. 22 with a 34-31 Democrat party-line vote. Senate amendments were returned to the House, and an amended version was passed March 2 on a 70-60 vote before it was presented to Walz.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda and members of the Minnesota Catholic Conference were among those backing the legislation. Archbishop Hebda urged legislators to act on the proposal “long overdue in its passage” when he spoke at a Jan. 3 news conference as the Minnesota Legislature began its 2023 session.
“Every Minnesota resident, especially those who have proven themselves as hardworking contributors to our communities, deserves to live with dignity, not in fear of being separated from their families every time they drive to meet basic needs,” Archbishop Hebda said. “As a Church, we work in the public arena to keep families together and help them flourish; creating driver’s licenses for all is part of our families first policy agenda.”
Archbishop Hebda said the proposal would end “the fear families face that a traffic violation might end in an undocumented person’s potential deportation, separating them from their loved ones.”
The archbishop and others have argued because the federal immigration system is broken, it’s important to help meet the needs of undocumented people already in Minnesota.
Senate bill sponsor Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (DFL-Minneapolis) said during the Senate floor session Feb. 22 that the legislation “is a bipartisan issue.” However, Sen. Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) argued: “I really wanted to vote for this bill, but I’m not going to be able to have that opportunity because we didn’t make this a bipartisan bill.”
Sen. Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake) also argued that “despite the authors’ insistence that this is about keeping our roads safe … that’s not the only objective.” However, Sen. Bobby Joe Champion (DFL-Minneapolis), bill co-sponsor, said that is the objective. “This is a driver’s license, not a voting card, not a benefits card, but a well-earned driver’s license.”
“The families who need these driver’s licenses are like any of our families,” Champion said. “They get up and go to work, they have kids … involved in a number of school activities,” which requires “driving back and forth.” He said legislators’ votes to pass the legislation indicate to “all of our fellow Minnesotans ‘move forward and come out of the shadows because you matter.’ They matter and what we do in this chamber matters when it comes to improving our lives.”
Mohamed said she chose to sponsor the legislation because “this affects my life every day. I have family and friends who have been affected by this issue for decades … I talked to people in my district, I talked to people across the state.” Passing the legislation, to Mohamed, is “about the thousands of people, that their lives will be transformed because of this bill.”
House bill sponsor Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis) said in a statement, “Allowing all Minnesotans to earn a driver’s license is the right thing to do. For public safety, for our shared prosperity, and to honor the inherent humanity and dignity of all community members. It should have been done years ago but it’s always the right time to do the right thing.” Rep. María Isa Pérez-Vega (DFL-St. Paul), co-sponsor of the bill, said, “the ability to obtain a driver’s license should be viewed as a human right and a necessity for all of our communities to be safe commuting and traveling on our roads.”
After the Senate passed the bill Feb. 22, Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel for the Minnesota Catholic Conference, said, “We are grateful the Legislature passed the immigrant driver’s license bill, for which we have worked over a decade. The legislation helps keep immigrant families together; frees them from some anxiety as they go to work, church or school; and supports the common good by making sure all drivers are licensed, trained and insured.”
Now signed into state law, the bill takes effect Oct. 1 for applications.
