Supporters of the bill attended the hearing wearing green and yellow t-shirts that said, "Don't let these bills die in committee"
New Jersey lawmakers considered legislation Monday to permit immigrants who cannot prove they're in the country legally to obtain drivers licenses.
The Democrat-led Assembly Judiciary Committee began hearing the bill in a packed committee room in the statehouse annex building. Many supported the measure, including a handful of people wearing green and yellow t-shirts that said, "Don't let these bills die in committee."
A 2018 study from the left-leaning think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective estimated that about 466,000 residents without documentation would be of driving age in New Jersey.
Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy along with Democratic Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Steve Sweeney have said they back the measure.
Panel after panel of witnesses supported the bill, arguing the measure could increase safety since many immigrants without legal documentation already drive without licenses and insurance. They also made emotional pleas, arguing that obtaining a license would help people work and provide for their loved ones.
"By providing access to driver's licenses, New Jersey shows a monumental step towards keeping families together."
"By providing access to driver's licenses, New Jersey shows a monumental step towards keeping families together," said Tatiana Rodrguez, a volunteer with the progressive-leaning group Make the Road New Jersey.
"So you're accommodating people who broke the law," Republican Assemblyman Erik Peterson said in an opening round of question to Fulton.
Advocates for the bill have pushed for years for the measure, but legislative leaders waited until after November's election to begin advancing the legislation.