Bill would ensure people leaving incarceration get state ID or driver’s license to support reentry
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Summary
HB22 would require that individuals released from incarceration leave with a Maryland‑issued ID or driver's license to remove barriers to housing, work and services. Sponsor said the bill was crafted with DSCPS and carries no fiscal note; the committee heard clarifying questions about documentation prerequisites for people born outside the U.S.
Delegate Matthew J. Schindler told the committee HB22 would ensure people released from incarceration are provided a state‑issued ID or driver’s license before reentry to reduce barriers to employment, housing and services.
Sponsor said the bill builds on existing Memoranda of Understanding between corrections and the Motor Vehicle Administration, requires no new fiscal appropriation, and was crafted with Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services input. The measure aims to replace informal reliance on prison IDs with state‑recognized identification and directs agencies to assist in obtaining prerequisite documents when needed.
Senators asked what identification would be provided to people who were not U.S. citizens or who lack birth certificates; sponsor said the bill prescribes a process to obtain prerequisite documents but acknowledged some populations may be ineligible for a state ID if they lack qualifying documents. The hearing concluded with positive remarks and no recorded vote.
