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Wichita adopts low‑barrier, I‑9‑compliant municipal ID; fees waived and card renamed
Summary
Council unanimously approved a municipal identification program the city will operate, authorizing launch and removing fees; the ID will be I‑9 friendly, available to residents 14 and older, and produced at City Hall and the Multi‑Agency Center.
The Wichita City Council unanimously approved an ordinance establishing a low‑barrier, I‑9‑compliant municipal identification card and authorized staff to implement the program after one change: the card will be issued without a required fee. The council also agreed that the card should be titled the “City of Wichita municipal ID” and directed staff to add a clear notice that it is “not valid for state ID or voting.”
City staff presented a program designed to help residents who lack state identification obtain an official, photo ID that can be used for city services and to satisfy some employer identity checks (the card is intended to meet the I‑9 identity requirement when paired with appropriate employment authorization documents). The administration recommended in‑house production and distribution at City Hall and the new multi‑agency center (MAC); staff estimated initial startup and operating costs would not exceed $20,000 in the first year.
Under the ordinance, applicants 14 and older may apply (minors require parental consent); the ID will show a photo and unique ID number, and the card’s address field is optional to accommodate people without stable mailing addresses. Staff proposed a flexible list of acceptable documents for proof of identity and residency and said municipal partners — including homeless services and Justice Together — helped craft low‑barrier standards. The ordinance also allows fee waivers; the council removed the fee requirement entirely at adoption to minimize obstacles.
Justice Together board member Nancy Brown spoke in favor of the program and thanked council for acting on a community request to reduce ID barriers. City staff said training and outreach will emphasize that the municipal ID is not a substitute for a state‑issued driver’s license or state ID for voting or other state purposes; the council asked staff to coordinate messaging with the Kansas Secretary of State’s office and the local election office to prevent voter confusion and potential disenfranchisement.
City staff said the card will be produced with security features and may be upgraded with optional RFID/chip or barcode capabilities later. The council directed the city manager’s office to report back on program metrics after launch, and staff said they would start production and outreach quickly after procurement of hardware and supplies.
