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By John Parvensky

Thousands of Colorado’s most vulnerable citizens remain caught in “identity hell,” unable to obtain a state-issued ID because they don’t have a state-issued ID. Gov. Bill Ritter has a chance to remedy this by signing House Bill 1313 into law.

Most Coloradans take their ability to document their identity and prove their citizenship for granted. Most have a driver’s license. Many have a certified copy of their birth certificate stored in a safe place. Some are fortunate enough to have a passport.

However, it doesn’t take much to push one into “identity hell.” A lost or stolen wallet, a house fire, or other disaster can quickly separate you from your proof of identity.

Many Coloradans, like the elderly, or residents of nursing homes or other institutions, no longer maintain current driver’s licenses or their original identification records. Others, like youth leaving foster care, do not have ready access to required ID documents.

Many homeless persons also find themselves in this situation, having neither a driver’s license nor a certified copy of their birth certificate.

Without a photo ID, homeless persons often find they cannot successfully move out of homelessness and toward self-sufficiency. They cannot get lawful employment or receive basic social services. They are denied access to clothing closets, shelters, food pantries, and certain public benefits, all of which help move people out of poverty. In attempting to obtain identity documentation, they find themselves in a Catch-22 of needing an ID to get an ID. To remedy this, the legislature passed HB 1313, clarifying the specific list of documents applicants must provide the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a license or ID, as well as providing an exceptions and appeals process for those who cannot obtain the required documents.

HB 1313 clearly requires proof of identity, lawful presence in the United States and age in order to obtain a state-issued ID. In the large majority of cases, this means that the applicant will have to provide either a stand-alone document proving his identity and lawful presence, or a combination of “primary” or “secondary” documents.

Only four documents are sufficient by themselves for the issuance of a state ID: a U.S. passport, a foreign passport, a military ID, or a driver’s license from a state requiring proof of lawful presence.

If applicants lack a stand-alone document, they must provide at least one “primary” document and one “secondary” document. The only acceptable primary documents are birth certificates, a tribal identification document issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs or a federally recognized tribe, or, in certain instances, a driver’s license from a state that requires proof of lawful presence. Each of these documents satisfies the standards for security and verifiability.

Most of allowable secondary documents (e.g., signed Social Security card, military ID card, certificate of marriage or divorce, health or insurance records, or adoption decrees) will also meet the standard as secure and verifiable documents. They provide further corroboration of the primary identification document.

However, since secondary documents are never sufficient by themselves to obtain IDs, the “primary document” requirement ensures that at least one document provided by every applicant will be secure and verifiable, while the secondary document corroborates the first. HB 1313 has been mischaracterized by anti-immigration zealots, such as former Gov. Richard Lamm and conservative talk-radio hosts, as undercutting efforts to curb illegal immigration by allowing those here illegally to obtain fake IDs. These arguments are merely red herrings.

There is nothing in HB 1313 that allows a person illegally in the United States to obtain Colorado ID, and it continues to require state officials to prosecute those providing fraudulent documents.

While we agree that the state must be vigilant in protecting against ID theft and fraud, it must be equally vigilant in helping its citizens get the ID they need to survive.

We urge the governor to sign HB 1313.

John Parvensky is president of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Reach him at jp@coloradocoalition.org.

READER COMMENTS

I assisted homeless individuals for 5 years in obtaining legal identification. Some people I helped had never owned a legal ID. Some were born in states that do not provide a birth certificate, even if one was issued, without legal ID. Some elderly individuals and native americans never had birth certificates issued on their behalf. Simply because of lifetyle some only had a birth certificate and no other "official" paperwork such as a marriage certificate. The problems of homeless people and people with mental illness attempting to obtain ID's are very real. These deserve to be regarded with dignity.

Yeah - it was veteod, good for Gov. Ritter.
Please come up with better solutions for this problem rather than making it easier for those who are here in direct violation of law to get a drivers license.

I had to get a passport recently, and the passport office said my 1959 Original Birth Certificate did not meet their standards. So, for a cost of $30, in two weeks I had a copy purchased over the internet and delivered to me personally that met the passport office's requirements.

If Gov Ritter had not vetoed HB1313, it would have cost the taxpayers multi billions in lost moneys to illegals and seriously jeoprodized national security - with a state ID, anyone can fly our national airways, and we all know what can happen there.

Since we are saving so much money from paying fraudulent expenses to illegals, we should have moneys left over to help those who need a new copy of their birth certificate.

Bob we are angry because we are fighting this war like a garden party. If we fight we fight to win and let the commanders in the field make the decisions. We also attack with sufficient force wherever the enemy is and allow no quarter. Surrender or die should be the only accomodation given to the killers. If the terrorists knew they would face real military action they would have a more difficult decision.
You would have been re-elected to the congress and next election I hope you are running. The morons we have now should be known as such by then and if we make a mistake here at home the cowards will have to explain why this new attack happened.

I've had all my important documents all my life..I also have my brothers and childrens
births cerificates ,and friends and family have me take care of theirs also. All in a secure place. It's a matter of responsibility.
Thats your identity and treat it as such. If you can't care for your personal documents have someone else save it for you, then they don't have to change laws for you.

As we know Gov Ritter vetoed this legislation. The Democrats have no more care for the poor, the elderly or the handicapped than do the Republicans. They want to keep the rabble down and this is one way to do it. IF the poor cannot get these documents then they will be willing to work for a lot less, albeit under the table, whether they are legally here or otherwise. The elderly and the handicapped cannot vote without these documents and some of them might actually give some thought to whom they are voting for. So let's keep them from being able to vote. As to the letter writer, it is my understanding as well, from some friends who tried to get a driver's license, that a US passport is not acceptable and some states birth certs are also unacceptable since they are technically Commonwealths and not states and the regs require the birth cert to be from a "state". The more poor we have the cheaper the labor force so let's make sure we have as many poor as possible.

Oh please! Stop using the American Citizen , the poor,the elderly, to pass hb1313. Your agenda is for the illegals to get a D.L. The american citizen can walk in and walk out ,with no problem. You'll put a 90 yr.old person or a hadicapped person on the front page of the newspaper for sympathy reasons. But it's a ploy! No to H.B.1313
Kill bill 1313!!!!!

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