#2022-14 June 10, 2022

License Access Bill Enacted Over Governor Baker’s Veto

On Thursday, the Massachusetts Senate voted 32-8 Thursday afternoon to complete the override of the governor’s veto on a bill that allows immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts access to state-issued driver’s licenses.  The House voted 119-36 on Wednesday to override the veto.

The bill, titled the “Work and Family Mobility Act”, eliminates the fear undocumented immigrants have about losing their residency should they be pulled over by police while driving to work or a medical appointment or taking kids to school or other activities according to its supporters.  Advocates also state that roads will be safer if more drivers receive training and have insurance.  Opponents of the bill (H 4805) worried about the message the policy sends about illegal immigration and said the law could open up questions about citizenship and an opportunity for voter fraud.

The new law gives the authority of verifying foreign documents presented by individuals seeking licenses to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, which will be under the oversight of a new governor by the time licenses become available in July 2023.  Governor Baker’s team has run the registry for seven years and he wrote in his veto (H 4822) that the RMV “does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries.”

The Association plans to host an educational seminar in the future on the contents of the new law.

FDIC Hosting Virtual Sessions for New Bank Directors

The FDIC is offering the Guidance for New Directors sessions virtually again this year in conjunction with Directors College Program.  These are small-group sessions for new (or newer) directors that focus on fundamentals of board oversight and the examination process.  The sessions will focus on fundamental board governance issues and are designed for Directors with less than five years’ experience.  In addition to discussing participant questions, the session will cover Directors’ roles and responsibilities, the examination process, and effective strategies to monitor bank performance.

The first session is on June 16 with the second scheduled for October 27.  Both sessions begin at 11:00 AM and will run for 90 minutes.  Links to join the FDIC sessions are below.

June 16, 2022:  11:00 am-12:30 pm
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting

October 27, 2022:  11:00 am-12:30 pm
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting