BOSTON (WHDH) - Since a new immigrant license law went into effect six months ago, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles has seen a large increase in new drivers obtaining driver’s licenses and learner’s permits.
The Work and Family Mobility Act allowed residents to obtain a driver’s license regardless of immigration status. The law went into effect on July 1, and since then the RMV has issued 91,961 new learner’s permits and 54,952 new, first-time driver’s licenses to Massachusetts residents.
This represents a 244 percent increase in new learner’s permits and a 120 percent increase in new driver’s licenses.
“Since the Work and Family Mobility Act was implemented in July, thousands of Massachusetts residents have been able to get licenses helping provide access to friends, families, and their communities,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt in a statement.
To accomodate this increase, the RMV increased the number of staff, service hours, and testing locations.
“The RMV and its employees have worked hard to meet the challenge of increased demand for appointments and credentials under the Work and Family Mobility Act,” said Registrar Colleen Ogilvie in a statement. “We are grateful for the support from advocates and community leaders throughout this process, and we are continuing to improve each step of our process.”
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