People from all over Philadelphia are rushing to secure appointments to receive identification as a Philadelphia resident through the new PHL City ID program, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The Philadelphia City Council passed a bill in September 2018 permitting the issuing of municipal identification cards known as PHL City ID cards. Scheduling for appointments to obtain the ID opened on April 4, and six days later the City Hall website listed all appointments as full, the Inquirer reported.
According to the Inquirer, the ID cards cannot be used to drive, travel, or vote, but they provide a form of identification for those who cannot obtain a state ID because of different factors, including immigration status and financial situation.
The Inquirer reported that since March over 1,000 people have been given a PHL City ID, and the city expects to issue 10,000 this year.
Philadelphian residents can use the cards to enter city buildings and access local services. The PHL City ID also offers many benefits for card holders, such as library access and discounts to museums and sports games.
The Department of Prisons will also start an ID pilot program for women residing at the Riverside Correctional Facility, Government Technology reported.
“It really speaks to the demand, which is amazing," Nicole Kligerman, director of the Pennsylvania Domestic Workers Alliance, told the Inquirer. “I have members in deep Southwest Philly and the Far Northeast who know about this and are coming to City Hall to get it, and are excited about their appointments in June.”
According to the Inquirer, the city does not have a set date when it will reopen appointments for the end of June and after.
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