Today (Feb. 1st, 2023), legislation was introduced, sponsored by Rep. Andrew Gray, designed to reduce recidivism by removing a barrier to reentry.
Reentry is an essential part of public safety and can be a challenging prospect for individuals upon their release, made even more difficult without valid identification. Finding employment and housing, opening a bank account, and other essentials all require a valid form of ID, yet prisoners are often released without one.
House Bill 53 provides a simple fix to a small but potentially devastating barrier to reentry by requiring the state to issue a valid form of identification upon release.
“In order to find housing, in order to find work, in order to open a bank account, a photo ID is required,” said Representative Andrew Gray (D-Anchorage). “I hope this legislation enables folks re-entering society to accomplish these basic tasks and avoid homelessness and recidivism.”
HB53 will have its first hearing in the House State Affairs Committee.
