Proposed Law Seeks To Derail Phoenix ID Card
An effort to create a Phoenix municipal ID card could run into trouble if a new bill garners enough support this session.
On Wednesday, a legislative subcommittee voted in a favor of the possible law, which would place restrictions on city-issued identification cards.
Opponents of Senate Bill 1017 brand it as the latest anti-immigration attack from Republican State Senator John Kavanagh. Last month, the Phoenix City Council voted for more information on the proposed ID, which would have more relaxed standards than a state-issued one.
Kavanagh’s bill, however, would prohibit labeling such a card as government identification. Instead, it would have to be described as explicitly for municipal services.
“Phoenix can issue their government ID card. The law allows that. But they must use the acceptable standards of verifying who the person is and excluding people who are here illegally," said Kavanagh. "That’s what proper government ID is all about."
But supporters of the Phoenix ID say it would help homeless, undocumented immigrants and others to access basic city services.
“The city is well within its right to determine what kind of ID we require for different services," said Councilwoman Kate Gallego.
“This is not a card that would be used to prove citizenship to vote, so it doesn’t have the same type of requirements," she said, "but we want people to use our city services like our libraries.”
Gallego adds that Kavanagh is reacting prematurely because the ID does not yet exist.
