New Orleans is set to join a growing list of cities across the country that offer municipal identification cards to residents.
City councilmembers unanimously voted to move forward with the creation of a new ID program on Thursday after years of planning. Members said it could benefit thousands of residents who can’t access Louisiana driver’s licenses or other traditional forms of government IDs.
“We want everyone in the city to come get one of these IDs,” said Helena Moreno, city council president. “Whether you’re re-entering from incarceration, unhoused, escaping domestic violence, or you don’t meet the criteria for a state ID.”
The cards won’t be immediately available, and leaders didn’t offer a specific timeline for them. But the Mayor’s Office of Human Rights and Equity said it would immediately begin work on the process of producing and issuing the IDs.
Each card will include details similar to other forms of government IDs, such as a photo, legal name, birth date, date issued, expiration date, ID number and New Orleans city seal. Residents can also choose to include their address, disability status or preferred gender marker.
The cards will be valid for use at all city departments, according to the ordinance. That could mean easier access to libraries, public transit and local banking providers, among other services.
However, they won’t serve as a replacement for state driver’s licenses, birth certificates or other federal forms of identification. The cards will not enable residents to register to vote, Moreno said.
Dozens of other United States municipalities have created similar municipal ID card programs in recent years, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Little Rock, and Princeton.
Research shows the programs have proved popular. Nearly 21 million U.S. citizens over 18 do not have a current (non-expired) state driver’s license, according to a survey from the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland.
The lack of a government-issued ID can create barriers for everyday tasks, such as renting an apartment, reporting crime to police or even ordering drinks at a local bar, said JP Morrell, at-large councilmember.
“This is about making sure that people in this city have what they need,” Morrell said “It makes people feel like a cemented member of the New Orleans community.”
The city-issued IDs are especially popular among immigrant communities and advocates. Having any form of government identification can knock down barriers for undocumented people living in U.S. cities, said Julie Yael Ward, a member of Home is Here NOLA, a grassroots organization that works with newly-arriving immigrants in the Gulf South.
“This can be a real protection for people who may be profiled,” she said. “Especially right now, when people need to hear that.”
The city council may incentivize use of the cards by adding benefits for all users, such as “free days” at local museums and other rewards, Moreno said. Other groups who could benefit from the new city ID cards include children ages 10-17 and trans and non-binary residents who aren’t able to list their preferred genders on state IDs.
“Access to all resources in New Orleans should be a protected right and a priority for our city government,” Moreno said.
