Although passed nearly seven years ago, a program to create Baltimore City identification cards will get a fresh look on Wednesday at a City Council committee hearing.
In 2016, the Baltimore City Council approved a municipal identification card program, but the program was never initiated primarily due to lack of funding. The meeting will discuss the possibility of implementing the program.
The system is designed to simplify the process of obtaining a valid ID for Baltimore City residents who often face barriers, such as unhoused individuals, immigrants, those recently incarcerated, and transgender people.
Federal and state documents, such as passports or driver’s licenses, frequently require evidence of name and gender marker alterations. The intention of the city’s identification cards is to enable applicants to acquire documentation that aligns with their gender identities more effectively.
Supporters of the program also hope local ID cards will make it simpler for immigrants to establish residency when compared to federal documents, which often involve greater financial and language obstacles.
Similar programs have been in effect in New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The program also seeks to reduce the number of arrests for minor offenses by allowing citizens to present a city ID and receive a citation instead of being taken into custody.
Municipal ID card programs in other cities, like Philadelphia and New York, also have granted residents access to services and resources such as libraries.
The resolution is on the agenda for review by the City Council’s Health, Environment, and Technology Committee on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Representatives from various city departments, including the city solicitor’s office, the finance department, the Office of Equity and Civil Rights, and the mayor’s offices of Information Technology and Immigrant Affairs, are slated to be in attendance.
