Framingham Council Backs Driver's Licenses For The Undocumented

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A majority of the Framingham City Council backs two bills being debated in the Legislature that would allow undocumented immigrants to get state driver's licenses.

Seven members of the Council on Tuesday voted to approve a resolution supporting Senate bill 2061 and House bill 3012, sponsored by Sen. Brendan Crighton, D-Lynn, and Reps. Patricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, and Christine Barber, D-Somerville. District 7 Councilor Margareth Basilio Shepard brought the resolution to the Council.

"This might be a good message for us to be a leader and not a follower," District 6 Councilor Philip Ottaviani said before voting in favor of the measure.

Three members of the Council — Chair George King Jr., Janet Leombruno, and Michael Cannon — abstained from voting on the resolution.

Prior to voting on the resolution supporting licenses, the Council had a lengthy discussion about how to handle resolutions. Some, including Cannon and King, said the Council shouldn't wade into statewide political matters.

The members of the Council who supported the resolution said that showing support for the state law would trickle down into the local community. Councilors said many Framingham residents would benefit by not having to fear driving to work or taking their kids to school. Shepard also said Framingham police wouldn't have to act as de facto immigration officers if they caught someone without a license.

Fifteen states have some type of system to provide licenses to undocumented people, including Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. Gov. Charlie Baker has said as recently as February that he doesn't support the effort.