Summary — HB 4193 (Michigan): State personal identification cards for prisoners being released on parole or discharged
Status: Vetoed by Governor (01/17/2025)
Introduced: March 7, 2023 (Rep. Kimberly Edwards; co-sponsors include Reps. Edwards, McFall, Aiyash, Brabec and others)
Primary statutory change: amend 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.291) — official state personal identification card act. (Related/companion bills: HB 4191, HB 4192; HB 4194 tie‑barred to HB 4193.)
Purpose
- Codify and formalize an existing Department of Corrections (DOC) / Secretary of State (SOS) program that obtains and issues Michigan driver’s licenses or state personal ID cards for eligible prisoners prior to their release, to support reentry (housing, employment, benefits, etc.).
Key provisions and changes
- DOC duties (amendment reflected in MCL 791.234c via companion bill HB 4192):
- At least 60 days before a prisoner’s scheduled parole release or discharge, DOC must, to the extent possible, collect application documents and a passport‑style photograph required for a driver’s license or state ID and send those materials plus the projected release date to the SOS.
- DOC must provide any license or ID received from SOS to the individual upon release.
- Replaces language “reasonably allowing” prisoners to obtain certain documents with an affirmative duty to “assist.”
- Secretary of State duties (amend MCL 28.291):
- SOS must accept DOC-issued prisoner ID cards (containing legal name, photo, other identifying info) as one form of identification for state personal ID applications.
- SOS must have electronic access to DOC prisoner records for identity verification.
- Beginning October 1, 2023, upon receipt of DOC application materials and projected release date, SOS must — to the extent possible — issue an official state personal identification card to an eligible prisoner and deliver the card to DOC before release; if unable, SOS must mail the card to DOC as soon as practicable.
- Other technical/administrative provisions mirror existing ID rules (SSN handling, noncitizen verification, non‑duplication with an existing operator’s license unless suspended/revoked, etc.).
- Tie‑bar: HB 4191 (driver’s license provisions) and HB 4192 (DOC reentry duties) must all be enacted together; HB 4194 depends on HB 4193.
Who is affected
- Primary: prisoners in Michigan Department of Corrections who are eligible for a state ID or driver’s license and are scheduled to be released on parole or discharged at sentence completion.
- Agencies: Michigan Department of Corrections and Secretary of State (implementation and processing duties).
- Indirectly: formerly incarcerated persons seeking immediate access to employment, housing, benefits, and services on release.
Fiscal impact / operational facts
- HFA analysis: no new net fiscal impact — the bill codifies a program already in place.
- DOC operational resources: ~19–20 regional employment counselors (60–70% of time on obtaining vital documents) plus several HQ staff working full time on documents.
- Program results (DOC data): IDs/licenses secured — 2019: 381; 2020: 715; 2021: 4,831; 2022: 5,939; 2023: 6,052; 2024: 6,945. DOC goal: ~95–98% of releasing inmates.
- DOC pays same fees as public for documents and makes an annual payment (~$100,000) to SOS to support staff involved.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Effective implementation date language in the bill references October 1, 2023, for SOS issuance obligations.
- Legislative history: passed both chambers and enrolled; presented to the Governor 01/08/2025; vetoed 01/17/2025.
- Governor’s veto message: the Governor supported the policy goal but vetoed because the enrolled bills would have unintentionally overwritten and undone more recent statutory amendments (a technical/conflict issue), and the Legislature had not updated the bills to account for those changes.
Additional considerations
- The statutory scheme applies only to individuals released from DOC custody; some stakeholders urged expanding coverage to probationers or allowing use of DOC OTIS photographs to further increase access.
- The bills were described by analysts as codifying existing interagency practices rather than creating a brand new program.
