An amendment to the Illinois Identification Card Act designed to simplify the process of obtaining an ID for those leaving Department of Corrections (DOC) custody, bill SB2803 now law. The law simplifies the process for the Secretary of State (SOS) to issue a standard Illinois ID card to a person committed to the DOC, the Department of Juvenile Justice, a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility located in Illinois, or a county jail before their release, better enabling them to reenter post-correctional life and avoid recidivism. 

Under the amended Act, incarcerated individuals who did not previously have an Illinois Identification Card will be able to submit the required information to the SOS via a verification form in a to be established secure electronic transfer method between the correctional facilities and SOS. This will speed up securing identification and allow individuals to have identification ready upon release from a facility, allowing them to open a bank account, apply for housing, and find employment. 

Currently, a common barrier to accessing identification is often the time and bureaucracy associated with obtaining and submitting a replacement social security card as part of the ID application process. This 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. Under this process, a replacement social security card can also be obtained while an individual is still in custody, allowing them to move through the ID acquisition process more efficiently and have identification in place when leaving custody. 

Many incarcerated individuals may have had identification expire while in custody or had previously lacked adequate identification before entering custody. Identification is also required to access social services or obtain healthcare. Black, Hispanic, and low-income individuals are less likely to have a government-issued photo ID, placing a disproportionate burden to accessing state resources on these communities. 

Governor Pritzker, with the assistance of former Secretary of State Jesse White and current Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, has been a major advocate for the rights of individuals leaving incarceration since his first term. With advocacy from First Lady MK Pritzker, the SOS and the DOC launched a pilot program in 2020 to offer state IDs for returning residents. In 2019, Governor Pritzker also signed legislation eliminating medical copays for incarcerated Illinoisans, and in 2021 the Governor signed legislation creating a path for compassionate release of medically incapacitated individuals. 

“Access to opportunities and basic needs is critical for successful re-entry following incarceration,” Secretary Giannoulias said. “It starts with having a valid ID, which is necessary to secure everything from employment to housing, healthcare and a bank account. This law reduces recidivism by providing stability and accessibility for those seeking to overcome the challenges presented by this transition and setting them up for success.”