New Illinois law aims to streamline access to ID cards for former prisoners

(The Center Square) – Former prison and jail inmates in Illinois may now be able to obtain a free identification card as they leave custody.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an amendment to the Illinois Identification Card Act designed to simplify the process of obtaining an ID for those leaving Illinois Department of Corrections custody.

“These are individuals who have served their time and paid their debt to society,” said Pritzker. “Rather than closing them off to the rest of the world, this legislation is about empowering them to make their own choices about their future.”

Under the amended act, incarcerated individuals who did not previously have an ID will be able to submit the required information to the Secretary of State via a verification form in a to-be-established secure electronic transfer method between the correctional facilities and SOS. Officials said this will expedite the process of securing identification and allow individuals to have identification ready upon release from a facility.

The legislation eliminates the requirement for a physical Social Security card and allows an incarcerated individual to provide a card number to match the one on file.

“Access to opportunities and basic needs is critical for successful re-entry following incarceration,” said Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “It starts with having a valid ID, which is necessary to secure everything from employment to housing, healthcare and a bank account.”

Critics of the measure argued the state should not prioritize people convicted of crimes over low-income Illinoisans who have to pay for their ID cards.

It is another win for the prison population in Illinois under the Pritzker administration. In July, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that people transitioning out of prison in Illinois and four other states will be gaining access to Medicaid and would receive coverage before their release.