Tobacco Age Limits, Gender X, & Homeless ID: Senate Passed Bills

BOSTON, MA – From a bill that would add a third gender to drivers licences, to a bill that would raise the age someone has to be to buy tobacco products, to a bill that would allow homeless people to get an official ID card the Massachusetts State Senate was busy this week.

Here are four bills they passed on June 28:

Non Binary Gender Option
In addition, the Senate passed a bill that would establish a non-binary gender identity option for Massachusetts licenses. The bill requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) to allow an applicant for a driver’s license, learner’s permit or ID card to choose “X” instead of “male or “female.” The bill also prohibits the RMV from requiring documentation for such designation.

State Sen. Karen Spilka, a Democrat from Ashland who sponsored the bill, said on Twitter she was inspired by a 16-year-old nonbinary person who suggested the bill and proud to support the policy.

Age to buy tobacco products
In an effort to reduce tobacco use and nicotine addiction among youth, the Senate also passed a bill that would raise the minimum legal sales age for all tobacco products to 21. This includes nicotine delivery products that are often marketed to young people, such as flavored e-cigarettes. The same legislation was passed in the House and is expected to become law upon Governor Baker’s approval.

Homeless ID
The Senate also passed a bill making it possible for homeless individuals to obtain a State ID. Currently, a person who is seeking to obtain an ID card must provide a proof of residence -- a task that is unnecessarily burdensome for individuals experiencing homelessness. This legislation creates exemptions in the process of obtaining an ID for those persons.
“Those without stable housing face innumerable barriers in their daily lives that keep them from being productive members of society,” said Senator Cindy Friedman (D-Arlington), a member of the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development. “If a homeless individual does not have access to an ID, he or she cannot apply for jobs, enroll in schools, or access some of the most vital resources the state has to offer. This bill seeks to dismantle these barriers and make it easier for some of the most vulnerable people in our society to gain access to ID’s.”
The legislation waives fees associated with obtaining a state ID for persons who are experiencing homelessness, and implements a process for those persons to apply for an ID using alternative proofs of residency.

Cable Access:

The Senate passed legislation that would require cable companies to provide High Definition capability to local Community Access channels.

Under the bill, the public education and government system will be on the same playing field as other broadcast channels, allowing local media stations access to Electronic Programming Guides and channel signal quality that is comparable to other TV stations. Instead of seeing all public education and programs listed as “Local Access Programming,” viewers would see titled programs, upcoming programming in its entirety, and also enjoy the ability to record programming on other channels.

Local TV channels keep citizens informed and aware of current events in their communities, providing coverage of town government proceedings as well as local sporting and community events. Financed through an assessment on cable subscribers’ monthly bills, the public government and education channels have now become high-quality media centers that allow for production of broadcast-quality programming.

“Keeping our residents engaged and informed is vitally important for the strength of our democracy,” said Friedman. “Making local news more accessible and appealing to our residents by switching to HD will boost civic engagement, allow our residents to have a more direct role in their communities, and benefit our Commonwealth as a whole.”

File Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch