Title
An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 112 (Non-Discrimination), Sections 9:150, 9:151, 9:155; and 9:156 of Title IX of the Code of the City of Ann Arbor (ORD-23-05)
Memorandum
The proposed amendment to the City's Non-Discrimination Ordinance is seeking to end discrimination against individuals based on their use of valid government-issued identifications cards. The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has examined this issue and found that restrictive policies governing how individuals can obtain certain State and Federal identification cards restrict many individuals from obtaining such identification cards. Studies show that those unable to obtain identification cards or without identification come disproportionately from marginalized communities.
Government-issued identification is critical to access fundamental resources such as housing, employment, health care, prescription medicine, participation in a child's school, food pantries, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, and bank accounts.
In 2015, Washtenaw County launched an accessible government ID program that allows County residents who qualify to obtain County-issued ID cards. The HRC has found that some Ann Arbor businesses refuse to accept County ID cards or other local government-identification cards as valid proof of identification.
The HRC has determined that the human rights of those whose government-issued ID cards are treated as invalid can be protected by amending the City's Non-Discrimination Ordinance to include Government-Issued Identification Card as a new protected class and mandate their acceptance as valid identification unless there are reasonable grounds to believe the ID is fraudulent or Federal law, State law, or a valid Court order requires the use of different identification.
Attachments: Human Rights Commission Resolution to Amend the Non-Discrimination Ordinance to End Discrimination Against Individuals Based on Their Use of a Government-Issued Identification Card as Valid Identi...
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