CHICAGO – It’s a new start for those leaving Illinois prisons.
On Tuesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed SB 2803, which gives the Illinois Secretary of State’s office the ability to waive requirements for a physical birth certificate for people who used to have an Illinois driver’s license or ID.
“The new law allows people to bypass the long wait times and the red tape associated with the long wait times that act as a major obstacle in the process,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
In addition, no physical social security card will be required either, as long as the state can verify the number another way with the Social Security Administration.
“A state ID is essential to performing the every day tasks that increase the likelihood of successful reentry into society. That’s because access to everything, from a home to a job to a doctor, becomes almost impossible without one,” Giannoulias said.