LANSING – The Michigan House of Representatives today passed a plan proposed by State Representative Robert Jones (D-Kalamazoo) that will make it easier for former prisoners to start a new life by allowing them to use a Department of Corrections ID card to apply for a driver's license or state identification card.
"Prisoners who have paid their debt to society deserve every opportunity to get back on their feet when they are released from prison," Jones said. "It's impossible to build a new life for yourself if you can't find a place to live, open a bank account or find a job – and you need a state ID to do all of these things. This plan will support former inmates as they start over and give them the chance to succeed."
A Michigan driver's license or state ID card is necessary when applying for a job, finding a place to live or conducting financial transactions. Many former prisoners have had trouble obtaining official identification after being released from prison because they lack the appropriate documentation.
Jones' plan will require the Secretary of State to accept a Department of Corrections prisoner ID card as a valid form of identification when a former inmate applies for a driver's license or state ID card.
"As we fight to create jobs and rebuild our economy, we must make sure that everyone has a chance to get ahead," Jones said. "Helping former inmates get a new start will go a long way toward reducing their chance of ending up back in prison. Allowing them to get a new ID will help them build a new life."