BILL NUMBER: S6188
SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the issuance
of driver's licenses and emergency medical personnel designation; and to
repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
 
PURPOSE:
Allows the use of alternate forms of identification where an applicant
for a driver's license does not have a social security number or Indi-
vidual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: If an applicant does not have a social security number or
ITIN, identification for a driver's license can include an individual
tax identification number, or the submission-of a sworn statement, made
under the penalty of perjury, stating that the applicant does not have a
social security number or an individual tax identification number, along
with another acceptable identifier.
Section 2: For purposes of this section an acceptable identifier shall
include, but not be limited to, a foreign passport, or a receipt from
the United States immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) stating
that an application or petition has been submitted, an approval notice
from the INS stating that an application or petition has been received,
or an application for extension of form 1-94 to extend an applicant's
legal presence. The commissioner shall consider the following acceptable
forms of application or petitions: 1-130, 1-40, 1-360, 1-485, 1-526,
1-590, 1-698, 1-817 and 1-891 or any other federal documentation used to
obtain lawful immigration status.
Section 3: Application for license.
Section 4: Section (a) a license issued pursuant to subdivision five of
this section shall be valid until the expiration date contained thereon,
unless such license is suspended, revoked or canceled is amended proofs
of prior licensing, fitness and acceptable vision prescribed by the
commissioner, or any of the forms of identification acceptable to the
commissioner Pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
Section 5: This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall
have become law; with provisions.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
To obtain a driver's license in New York, a person must have either a
Social Security number (SSN) or present a letter from the Social Securi-
ty Administration along with official immigration documentation showing
that the person is not eligible for a SSM. Because of this inflexible
requirement, a large number of legal immigrants are denied a driver's
license. While some of these immigrants choose to use public transporta-
tion, others choose to use false documents to obtain a license or feel
forced to drive illegally in order to go to work, etc.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: S7901 - Referred to Transportation
2019-20: S.4148 - Referred to Transportation
2017-18: S.2355 - Referred to Transportation
2015-16: S.25548 - Amended and Recommitted to Transportation
2013-14: S.5444A - Amended and Recommitted to Transportation
2005-06: S.1349A - Referred to Transportation.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this act
shall take effect October 3, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S6188: 502 vehicle and traffic law, 502(1) vehicle and traffic law, 502(6) vehicle and traffic law, 504 vehicle and traffic law, 504(1) vehicle and traffic law