MEDC 2010 Position on Selective Service Registration for Driver’s License Issuing

MEDC 2010 Position on Selective Service Registration for Driver’s License Issuing (HB 2433)

Background

Federal law requires that all male citizens between the ages of 18 to 26 sign up for the selective service registration within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

The intention of House bill 2433 is to further ensure the compliance with this federal policy by requiring all males both citizens and non-citizens, who apply for an original, renewal, replacement, instruction permit, intermediate license, driver’s license or identification card to register for the selective service registration. The bill states that the male applicant can abstain from the sign up if he has already registered or declines to register.

Specific Issue (s)

The bill has a disproportionate disadvantage for men of color. It requires non-citizens to register whereas the federal law does not thus affecting more men of color than before. People of color especially new immigrants may not know they can decline to register for the selective service registration, resulting in a permanently attachment of the idea of getting a license or identification card with registration for the military draft.

  • Men of color have an addition fear of the draft because they have historically been discriminated against within the military
  • For example an investigation done by the Los Angeles Times on Fort Leavenworth Military prison in 1994 found that 50% of the inmates and 83% of military death sentences were people of color
  • They may also be the sole provider for their families and getting drafted can have devastating financial consequences for the ones they support
  • People of color are also more likely to be pulled over by the police. A study done by the Steward Research Group for found that “three out of every four law enforcement agencies pulled over blacks and Latinos at higher rates than whites

MEDC’s Requested Action/Legislative Request

MEDC asks legislators to reject HB 2433 due to its disproportionate impact on men of color.