BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: ab 1733
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: quirk-silva
VERSION: 5/23/14
Analysis by: Erin Riches FISCAL: yes
Hearing date: June 24, 2014
SUBJECT:
Identification cards: fee waiver
DESCRIPTION:
This bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to
issue, without a fee, an identification card to any individual
who can verify his or her status as homeless.
ANALYSIS:
Existing state law authorizes DMV to issue an identification
card, valid for six years, to any individual providing the
following:
Completed and signed original application
Thumbprint
Picture, taken at DMV
Social security number, verified by DMV during the appointment
Verification of birth date and legal presence (documents
accepted include a California driver's license, birth
certificate, U.S. passport)
Application fee of $26
Existing state law requires DMV to issue a senior citizen
identification card to an individual 62 years of age or older
who applies for one. This card is free of charge and is valid
for 10 years.
Existing state law requires DMV to charge an application fee of
$6 to an individual who has a current income level meeting the
eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs.
Existing federal law, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act, defines "homeless" as an individual or family
who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence or
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who will imminently lose his or her primary nighttime residence
and has identified no subsequent residence.
This bill :
Requires DMV to issue, without a fee, an original or
replacement identification card issued to any individual who
can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless
child or youth.
Authorizes a homeless services provider with knowledge of the
individual's housing status to verify that status for purposes
of establishing the individual's eligibility for the fee
waiver.
Provides that eligibility determination shall be subject to
regulations adopted by DMV.
Provides that an individual applying for an identification
card pursuant to this bill shall not be charged a fee for
verification of his or her eligibility.
Defines "homeless person" and "homeless child or youth" as set
forth in the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Defines "homeless services provider" as including, but not
limited to:
o A governmental or nonprofit agency receiving federal,
state, county, or municipal funding to provide homeless
services, or an agency that is otherwise sanctioned to
provide homeless services by a local homeless
continuum-of-care organization
o An attorney licensed to practice law in California
o A local educational agency liaison for homeless children
and youth designated as such pursuant to federal law, or a
school social worker
o A human services provider or public social services
provider funded by the state to provide homeless children
or youth services, health services, mental or behavioral
health services, substance abuse disorder services, or
public assistance or employment services
o Any other homeless services provider qualified to verify
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an individual's housing status, as determined by DMV
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . The author states that individuals experiencing
homelessness rely on access to government programs and social
services in order to obtain housing, employment, nutrition,
health services, education, public assistance, and other
benefits. Nearly every state and federal program providing
these services requires an applicant to establish eligibility
by producing proof of identity, proof of residence, or both.
The most common documents required are a birth certificate and
a valid, government-issued photo identification card. The
author states that by providing a process by which DMV can
waive the identification card fee, this bill will help
individuals who cannot afford the fee to access these
services. The author notes that this bill will expedite and
enhance the efficiency of government and nonprofit advocates
working to connect homeless individuals to existing programs
that meet their needs, and that this bill will support
individuals working to end their homelessness.
2.What about the reduced-fee identification card ? Existing law
requires DMV to charge a reduced identification card
application fee of $6 to an individual who qualifies for
certain public assistance programs. Supporters of this bill
note that even that seemingly small amount of money can be
prohibitive for a homeless individual with no income,
particularly when combined with obtaining a birth certificate,
which varies from county to county, but typically costs about
$25. Housing California, the sponsor of this bill, notes that
this bill can create significant cost savings for counties and
the state by helping homeless people connect to services for
which they are eligible, many of which are federally funded.
3.Other states . At least a few other states have enacted
legislation similar to this bill. For example, Nevada
provides a one-time fee waiver for an identification card for
an individual who submits either a signed affidavit to the
state DMV stating he or she is homeless or documentation from
the Nevada Department of Corrections verifying that he or she
was released from prison within the immediately preceding 90
days. Connecticut statute authorizes the state DMV to waive
the identification card fee for any applicant who is a
resident of a homeless shelter or other facility for homeless
individuals. Illinois statute waives the identification card
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fee for a homeless individual upon verification of his or her
homeless status by a human services, legal services, or
government authorized employee.
4.How many individuals might this bill impact ? In the 12 months
ending November 2013, DMV issued a total of 143,726 reduced
fee ID cards, of which 34,193 were original ID cards and the
remainder were renewals. Statistics compiled by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development indicate that on
any given night, there are approximately 136,826 homeless
individuals in California.
5.Committee of second referral . In addition to providing a fee
waiver for identification cards for homeless individuals, this
bill provides a fee waiver for birth certificates for homeless
individuals. Because this bill was heard and passed by an 8-0
vote in Senate Health Committee on June 18, 2014, this
committee will focus on the bill's Vehicle Code provisions
relating to issuance of an identification card.
6.Amendments . Among other things, this bill requires the state
Department of Public Health (DPH) to develop an affidavit
allowing an individual who makes a request for a birth
certificate to attest to his or her status as a homeless
person or a homeless child or youth. As currently written,
this bill requires the affidavit to constitute sufficient
verification that an individual is homeless. The author
committed during the Senate Health Committee hearing to amend
this bill to require the affidavit to include verification of
the applicant's homeless status by a homeless services
provider, as well as authorizing DPH to implement this bill
without further regulation. Due to the tight schedule of the
double referral, the author will take these amendments in this
committee. The amendments will also add Senators Beall,
Correa, DeSaulnier, Hancock, Leno, and Mitchell as coauthors.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 77-0
Appr: 17-0
Trans: 16-0
Health: 19-0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, June 18,
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2014.)
SUPPORT: Housing California (sponsor)
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
Aspiranet
California Association of County Veterans Service
Officers
California Church Impact
California Coalition for Youth
California Communities United Institute
California Mental Health Directors Association
California Mental Health Planning Council
California State Association of Counties
California State Commanders Veterans Council
California Police Chiefs Association
California Probation, Parole, and Correctional
Association
Central Coast HIV/AIDS Services
Century Housing
Coalition of California Welfare Rights
Organizations, Inc.
Compass Family Services
Corporation for Supportive Housing
County of Santa Clara
County Welfare Directors Association of
California
EAH Housing
First Place for Youth
General Assistance Advocacy Project
Home Start, Inc.
Hoopa Valley Tribe
Kern County Homeless Collaborative
Kings/Tulare Continuum of Care on Homelessness
Larkin Street Youth Services
Law Foundation of Silicon Valley
LINC Housing
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Business Leaders Task Force on
Homelessness
Mammoth Lakes Housing, Inc.
Marin Partnership to End Homelessness
Military Officers Association of America,
California Council of Chapters
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Association for the Education of
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Homeless Children and Youth
National Association of Social Workers,
California Chapter
Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority
Paratransit, Inc.
PATH (People Assisting the Homeless)
Pathways of Hope
Plowshares Peace and Justice Center
Project Homeless Connect
Project Sanctuary
Redwood Children's Services, Inc.
River City Food Bank
Sacramento Cottage Housing, Inc.
Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee
Sacramento Housing Alliance
Sacramento LGBT Community Center
Sacramento Loaves and Fishes
Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness
Sacramento Youth Homelessness Task Force
San Diego Housing Commission
San Diego Housing Federation
San Diego Hunger Coalition
San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee
San Luis Obispo County Office of Education
Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Service Employees International Union, Local 1000
Skid Row Housing Trust
Sonoma County Task Force for the Homeless
St. Mary's Center
St. Vincent de Paul Village
Swords to Plowshares
United Way of Greater Los Angeles
United Way of Silicon Valley
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of
California
Vietnam Veterans of America, California State
Council
Western Center on Law and Poverty
WomanHaven, Inc.
Yolo County Office of Education, Homeless
Services Program
OPPOSED: None received.
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