OLA Forum on Driver’s License Access at LTV Studios

OLA and Green Light NY

Working to Restore
Driver’s License Access
to Undocumented Immigrant Drivers

Public Forum April 24, 2019 at 7 pm
LTV Studios
(Details below)

OLA invites you to attend a televised educational forum focusing on restoring access to driver’s licenses to New York’s undocumented immigrant drivers.

Panelists: Assemblyman Fred Thiele,
Dr. Gail Schonfeld (pediatrician),
Barbara Layton (business owner), and
Sandra González (East Hampton resident)

When: April 24, 2019 at 7 pm
(Please arrive by 6:45.)
Where: LTV Studios, 75 Industrial Rd., Wainscott, NY

Cosponsors: Progressive East End Reformers (PEER), Neighbors in Support of Immigrants (NISI), Centro Corazón de María,
North Fork Unity Action Committee

For several months OLA has been part of the statewide campaign Green Light NY: Driving Together, a coalition of advocates from around the state determined to restore access to driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrant drivers who pass the required tests.

We are urging leadership in the NY Assembly and NY Senate to move forward with pending legislation in both chambers, the “Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act” (Assembly bill A03675 and Senate bill S01747). This common-sense legislation will improve public safety by ensuring that immigrant drivers can qualify for a driver’s license; be well-informed about traffic laws; pass the required eye, written, and road tests; and operate a registered, inspected, and insured vehicle. Police will be able to verify the identity of motorists and review their traffic records, allowing police officers to carry out their duties more efficiently and effectively.

Restoring driver’s license access will also help build trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities because with valid, legal identification, witnesses and victims of crimes will more readily report to and cooperate with our local police forces.

LOCAL GREEN LIGHT ACTION NEWS!

In early April OLA submitted a draft resolution to East Hampton Town Board supporting access to driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrant drivers and supporting the state legislation. We are pleased to report that town board members are now discussing their own revised version of this resolution, which supports restoring access to licenses, though it does not mention the state legislation. We commend East Hampton Town Board members for treating this issue seriously by taking this important step, and we urge them to do all they can to publicly support not only the concept of restoring license access to the undocumented but the state legislation as well. PASSING STATE LEGISLATION IS AN IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY MATTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY!

PLEASE CALL SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ANDREA STEWART-COUSINS (518-455-2585) AND ASSEMBLY SPEAKER CARL HEASTIE (518-455-3791) TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE “DRIVER’S LICENSE ACCESS AND PRIVACY ACT” AND TO URGE THEM TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BRING A03675/S01747
TO A VOTE THIS SESSION.

OLA has just submitted a draft resolution to the Southampton Town Board as well and will follow up with town board members to urge their public and ongoing support for the state legislation.

PLEASE CALL EAST HAMPTON AND SOUTHAMPTON TOWN BOARD MEMBERS TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE STATE BILL AND TOWN RESOLUTIONS
SUPPORTING THIS LEGISLATION.