Hundreds attend rally in support of driver’s license bill

<p>Hundreds of New Jersey residents attended a rally in Elizabeth Thursday in support of a bill that would create a state-purpose driver's license for people who can't meet the requirement points.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jan 12, 2018, 3:45 AM

Updated 2,387 days ago

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Hundreds of New Jersey residents attended a rally in Elizabeth Thursday in support of a bill that would create a state-purpose driver's license for people who can't meet the six strict requirement points.
The crowd gathered for the ‘Let’s drive New Jersey’ campaign. The bill would allow people to get a driver’s license through a second-tier state identification card.
Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, a primary sponsor of the bill, says that it is a matter of public safety.
"If you're on the New Jersey Turnpike, you want to make sure the car in front of you…that they know how to drive and they know the rules of the road,” she says. “If by chance there's an accident, that they're going to stay and give you their insurance card."
A study by the New Jersey Policy Perspective finds that about 466,000 undocumented immigrants in New Jersey are of driving age. If they receive licenses there would a 3.8 percent increase of licensed drivers in the state. Quijano says that this will improve insurance rates.
She adds that the bill would empower not only undocumented immigrants, but also senior citizens, survivors of domestic violence, transgender residents and college students.
“I just want everyone to know how to drive on the streets of New Jersey,” Quijano says. 
The licenses would only be used for driving. They could not be used for air travel or for public benefits.
New Jersey would be the 13th state to expand access to driver’s licenses if the bill is passed.


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