I oppose House Bill 318 and urge you to VETO this bill.

If enacted, HB 318 will make it more difficult for local police and sheriffs to establish the identity of people in our communities, particularly immigrant residents, which will make their jobs harder and more dangerous.

Officers who are able to establish the identity of someone they encounter are better able to enforce the law, efficiently employ their limited resources, and keep themselves and others safe. People who have acceptable IDs are more willing to interact with the police as witnesses or victims of crime, which enhances public safety not only for immigrant residents, but for all of us.

Every day, in jurisdictions throughout the United States and around the world, law enforcement officers are confronted with a common and compelling question: “Who is the person with whom I am dealing?” Establishing identity is important because it enables the officer to determine whether the person poses an immediate threat to the officer or to others.

The question of immigrants having acceptable identification documents is both a practical and safety concern, and an economic issue for police. The manpower used to arrest and process people who do not have identification takes away from other policing priorities. It has been estimated that a wider acceptance of foreign and community-issued IDs in Greensboro has saved the equivalent of two full-time police officers’ salaries in terms of avoiding unnecessary arrests solely for lack of ID.

Please reject HB 318, which I believe is harmful and unnecessary legislation.

Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina.
Sincerely,