STATE HOUSE – House Republicans on the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee moved to include $500,000 in the state budget to cover the cost of Maine identification cards for those who do not have one, or cannot afford one. They were joined by three Democrats, making the recommendation to the Appropriations Committee bipartisan. The vote was 7-2.
“In this day and age, identification is needed for nearly all transactions involved in everyday living,” said Rep. John Andrews (R-Paris). “Everyone has a right possess a means of legally identifying themselves. There is, however, a very small segment of our population that does not already possess some form of identification. The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee is recommending funding to ensure that cost is no barrier to the free movement of Maine residents.”
The Committee’s recommendation has been sent to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs for consideration as they craft
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