Undocumented immigrants could obtain a Michigan driver license or state identification card under Democratic legislation that sponsors hope to make law this year.
Supporters say that giving more illegal immigrants legal permission to drive to work, medical appointments or other functions without the threat of arrest or deportation is a matter of “human dignity” that would benefit the economy, including farmers who rely on seasonal labor.
“It is not the state government’s purview or job to fix our broken immigration system,” House Majority Floor Leader Abraham Aiyash, D-Hamtramck, said.
“We’re not going to wait for the federal government to act to make sure that all Michiganders are going to be safe.”
“My colleagues and I will do everything we can to make sure that we have the votes that are necessary to get these bills passed and signed into law,” Senate Civil Rights Committee Chair Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, told reporters.
“There’s not an apple, blueberry, asparagus, turkey, egg (farm) that this legislation wouldn’t help,” said Rob Steffens. “Our people want to follow the law, but they can’t.”
More from BridgeMI
- In Michigan, an affordable housing ‘emergency’ looms
- Michigan Democrats in no rush to prioritize ‘fixing the damn roads’
- Michigan passes $21.5B school budget with boost for at-risk students
- Cooling off period proposed for Michigan lawmakers to become lobbyists
- Lawsuit aims to disqualify Trump from Michigan ballot
FAQs
Q: What do Michigan House bills 4410-4412 do?
A: Michigan House bills 4410-4412 would make noncommercial Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards available to applicants who do not have proof of U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
Q: Why are these bills being introduced?
A: The bills are being introduced to address the needs of undocumented immigrants and other noncitizens who need a driver’s license or state identification card for driving, employment, and other purposes.
Q: Who would be eligible for a noncommercial Michigan driver’s license or state identification card under these bills?
A: To be eligible for a noncommercial Michigan driver’s license or state identification card under these bills, an applicant must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be a resident of Michigan
- Meet all other requirements for a driver’s license or state identification card, except for the requirement of proof of U.S. citizenship or immigration status
Q: How would noncommercial Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards be different from regular Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards?
A: Noncommercial Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards would have the same appearance and function as regular Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards, except that they would be marked “NONCOMMERCIAL” and would not be valid for travel outside of the United States.
Q: When would these bills take effect if they are passed?
A: If these bills are passed and signed into law, they would take effect on October 1, 2024.
Additional information:
The bills were introduced by Representative Stephanie Chang on September 28, 2023.
The bills have been referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Please note that this is just a summary of the legislation and does not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about the legislation, you should consult with an attorney.
More Posts
![Michigan officials deal with CBD oil regulation](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/cbd2-e1547750130383.jpg)
Michigan officials deal with CBD oil regulation
Cannabidiol, or CBD oil, is no longer considered to be marijuana in Michigan under a new legal framework created by the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill and a state law that takes effect this March. Instead of categorizing “all things green and smelly” by default as marijuana, the...
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen
Medical Marijuana Patients Protected Under LARA Recommendation Regarding Temporary Operating Facilities January 15, 2019 – The Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) will recommend tomorrow that the Medical Marihuana Licensing Board (MMLB) adopt a...
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
Marijuana products sold in Detroit, Kalamazoo and Lansing recalled
Michigan regulators are recalling marijuana products sold at dispensaries in Detroit and Kalamazoo after failing lab tests for mold and bacteria. The products were sold at the Green Mile on Eight Mile Road in Detroit and Compassionate Care by Design in Kalamazoo....
![Communities opting out of recreational adult use of cannabis](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Opt-Out-Check-Box-800-600-e1547483613410.jpg)
![Communities opting out of recreational adult use of cannabis](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Opt-Out-Check-Box-800-600-e1547483613410.jpg)
Communities opting out of recreational adult use of cannabis
From the minute Michigan voters approved legal cannabis, communities around the state began to grapple with a pressing question: How can we shut it down? You might not think that'd be the first priority for elected officials in a state whose voters approved the sale...
![CBD oil regulated as hemp, not marijuana](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cannabis-hemp-plant-during-sunset.jpg)
![CBD oil regulated as hemp, not marijuana](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/cannabis-hemp-plant-during-sunset.jpg)
CBD oil regulated as hemp, not marijuana
CBD oil regulated as hemp, not marijuana LANSING, Mich. Jan 11, 2019 - A new law will prevent cannabidiol — more commonly referred to as CBD oil — from being regulated under Michigan's medical marijuana rules. The legislation CBD - ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No....
![Toronto man loses driver’s license for smoking marijuana](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/canada-marijuana-legalization-june-2018.jpg)
![Toronto man loses driver’s license for smoking marijuana](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/canada-marijuana-legalization-june-2018.jpg)
Toronto man loses driver’s license for smoking marijuana
Toronto man loses his driver’s license after a medical doctor said his daily cannabis use would affect his ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. A Toronto man lost his Ontario driver’s licence after admitting to a doctor he smokes marijuana on a daily basis. The...
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
![LARA allows unlicensed dispensaries to reopen](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LARA-BMMR-MI-Department-of-Licensing-and-Regulatory-Affairs-Alerts-Komorn-Law.jpg)
Medical Marijuana Recall-Lansing
The state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) announced medical marijuana sold at a shop in Lansing has been recalled because it's contaminated with potentially deadly bacteria. Tests on four types of marijuana sold at HG Lansing came back positive...
![Is Alex Berenson Just Trolling Us With His Anti-Marijuana Book](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/rollingstone.png)
![Is Alex Berenson Just Trolling Us With His Anti-Marijuana Book](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/rollingstone.png)
Is Alex Berenson Just Trolling Us With His Anti-Marijuana Book
Is Alex Berenson Just Trolling Us With His Anti-Marijuana Book From Rolling Stone A former ‘New York Times’ journalist wrote about a “hidden epidemic” cause by pot — but it seems he got the science wrong In the past week, there’s been a flurry of media coverage around...
![What does the future hold for marijuana in Michigan?](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2019-Michigan-and-Marijuana-A-Quick-Peek.jpg)
![What does the future hold for marijuana in Michigan?](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2019-Michigan-and-Marijuana-A-Quick-Peek.jpg)
What does the future hold for marijuana in Michigan?
A really quick peek into the coming 2019 Year of Marijuana and Michigan. Prop 1, along with the new State and Federal hemp legislation and the MMFLA, will fundamentally reconfigure the police encounter. The smell or mere presence of cannabis can no longer constitute...
![The IRS And Marijuana-The Tax Court Harborside Decision](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Uncle-Sam-Taxes-Paid-e1546133162681.jpg)
![The IRS And Marijuana-The Tax Court Harborside Decision](https://komornlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Uncle-Sam-Taxes-Paid-e1546133162681.jpg)
The IRS And Marijuana-The Tax Court Harborside Decision
In a historic decision that will save Harborside and the legal cannabis industry millions of dollars, the U.S. Tax Court has ruled that the California dispensary is not liable for accuracy-related 280E penalties. What is Harborside? Harborside was founded by...