Council Hearing

This week I went to my old home, Washington, D.C., to testify in a DC City Council Hearing about a bill that would, among other things, increase the number of documents that the DC DMV would allow for proof of residency for certain types of ID. DC is one of the most restrictive states when it comes to proofs of residency, due to a purge of the list in the last few years. At the moment, if you do not own or lease a home, it is almost impossible to show proof of residency without jumping through several difficult hoops, something that people who are unhoused, have fled domestic violence situations, are foster youth, or fit many other categories simply cannot do.

Over 20 people showed up to testify about how an ID, or the lack of one, had impacted their lives or their clients’ lives in DC. City commissioners talked about their own bouts with homelessness because they could not get an ID, about the constituents who beg them for help. A doctor testified about how many of her patients can’t get the medicine or treatment that they need because they don’t have ID. Organizations that work with domestic violence survivors talked about how the lack of an ID meant their clients couldn’t get beds in shelters or start their new lives. A wide variety of people took the time to come to a hearing to talk about how vital an ID is and how crucial it is that DC work towards ensuring that more of its most vulnerable citizens can get one.

Unfortunately, the DC DMV is not inclined in any way to make it easier to get an ID. But the local advocates and the representatives from the city council were so passionate, knowledgeable, and persistent that I left feeling hopeful. We’ll keep working towards increasing access to IDs in any way we can, even if we have to do it one city council at a time.

Help us build our 50 state coalition in 2025 so that we can expand ID access at every level in every state.

Donate $20 to expand ID access

Thank you,

Kat