ST. PAUL —To help Minnesotans successfully apply for a driver's license or ID card under the new Driver's License for All law, the Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division and its community partners are offering a range of resources and services.
Key community partners have been working for months to help prepare and inform residents affected by Driver's License for All. Organizations like COPAL, the Immigration Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM), Minnesota Immigration Movement (MIM) and Unidos MN have helped community members successfully navigate the application process.
“We are working with the community in a new way," Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said. “We recognized that we needed to work more effectively within the community, and we've taken strides to do that with outreach, engagement sessions and partnering with organizations that work directly with our communities."
DVS aims to make the process of applying for a driver's license or ID card simpler for non-English speakers, while ensuring each driver knows the rules of the road and can drive safely. DVS is offering forms and documents — including the written test — in several languages and providing multilingual videos and guides on its website. DVS has also expanded the list of acceptable document translators to include qualified non-professionals.
“As we approach the historic date of Oct. 1, when thousands of Minnesotans' lives will be changed, we must recognize that our victories are the result of our collective strength and unwavering commitment," said Eduardo Penasco, immigration and democracy organizer for COPAL.
COPAL plans to open written testing centers, continue to connect community members to educational resources and ensure this new law is a permanent protection for Minnesota families, while MIM is hosting driver's education classes.
ILCM has spent months providing information to immigrant and refugee communities across Minnesota, offering FAQs and factsheets in multiple languages on its website and leading community education and information sessions. Unidos hosts informational meetings all over the state and offers assistance with applications.
“Our service will ensure all Minnesotans have safe roads, that equity is at the center of implementation and make sure Minnesota continues to lead in our region and in the country," said Unidos MN Executive Director Emilia Gonzales Avalos.
DVS will continue to work with its community partners as the Driver's License for All law is enacted in the coming months and years to ensure equity and access to information and services for all Minnesotans.
Visit drive.mn.gov and click “DL for All" for multilingual videos, information and resources.
About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 11 divisions where 2,200 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.
About the Driver and Vehicle Services Division
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division is responsible for driver testing, driver licensing and maintenance of driver records; driver evaluation and compliance; motor vehicle title and registration; commercial vehicle registration; motor vehicle dealer licensing and regulation; and enforcement of no-fault insurance requirements.
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