The Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act currently before the NY state legislature is about safety and dignity. It offers those who are already a part of our community the ability to abide by our laws, not to evade them. Not only will this bill make our roads safer by licensing and ensuring drivers, it will also create revenue for NY state. An oft-repeated claim against immigrant communities is that they are lawless- but the evidence is mixed at best on that front, according to the Cato Institute and others. In fact, removing a layer of fear and mistrust between local law enforcement and immigrant communities might increase cooperation when true criminals need to be rooted out. Let us be sensible, pragmatic, and yes, compassionate. Washington cannot seem to sort this out for us. Our economy and our communities need this bill.
More information about this bill can be found at Green Light NY
Below is some time-critical information, especially if you live in Long Island, from Long Island Jobs with Justice, about how you can press your local senators.
Governor Cuomo has made Green Light a priority for this session, the NYS
Business Council endorsed the bill last week and language that was
objectionable to NYS police departments has been amended. NPR
reported on May 30th that the fate of this bill rests with the six LI
Democratic senators.
Call your Senator on June 7th and urge him/her to support the Green
Light bill:
• Senator Todd Kaminsky: 516-766-8383
• Senator Kevin Thomas: 516-739-1700
• Senator John Brooks: 516-882-0630
• Senator Monica Martinez: 631-360-3356
• Senator Anna Kaplan: 516-746-5924
• Senator Jim Gaughran: 516-922-1811