For Immediate Release
Virginians Announce Drive Virginia Forward Campaign for All
Drive Virginia Forward Joins Delegate Kaye Kory, New Americans Caucus, Senator-Elect Scott Surovell in Announcing Campaign to Expand Driving Privileges
Richmond, VA- Led by a broad coalition, Delegate Kaye Kory, the New American Caucus, Senator-elect Scott Surovell, and the Drive Virginia Forward Coalition announced today that they will introduce several bills to expand driving privileges to more residents of Virginia. Proposed legislation will ensure that residents have the necessary driver’s education and insurance, reduce traffic accidents, improve community relations with law enforcement, increase state revenue, and ensure that Virginia remains a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees. For many residents from all walks of life, driving is a necessity for their livelihoods, their families, and their communities.
Alba Rodriguez, a member of New Virginia Majority’s Manassas chapter who has lived in Virginia for 15 years, shares why expanding driving privileges is a must. “I have to travel to Charlottesville to receive cancer treatment. In the past, my own husband has lost his job for missing too many days. If driving privileges were expanded, my husband would not be in danger of losing his job. I need to drive to live so that I can take care of my family.”
Margie Del Castillo, Senior Field Coordinator for the NLIRH Virginia Latina Advocacy Network said, “Being able to drive to pick up medicine from a pharmacy, get to a doctor’s office for prenatal care, or take our children to school are part of reproductive justice. Driver’s licenses is a reproductive justice issue, keeping families healthy while making our roads safer. It’s imperative that we fix this lack of access and ensure a safe, legal way for all working Virginians and residents to continue contributing to Virginia’s growing economy.”
The expansion of driving privileges will bring about a net economic gain to the state. According to a report released today by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, increasing access to driver’s licenses will enable workers to fill job openings that would otherwise remain vacant and lower everyone’s car insurance costs by boosting road safety and decreasing the number of uninsured drivers.
Dong Yoon Kim, Program Director of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium said, “There are 475,000 Asian American and Pacific Islanders who contribute daily to Virginia. Many of these individuals do not have the same driving privileges as the rest of Virginians. Expanding driving privileges will ensure that AAPIs and all immigrants will have the same opportunity to provide for their families and work together with all Virginians in building Virginia’s future.”
For working families, driving will mean access to better jobs and opportunities that outside of public transportation and ability to fill jobs that are not accessible by public transportation, improving the quality of life for thousands of Virginians.
January 12, 2016
Contact: Melquiades Fernandez of New Virginia Majority, mfernandez@newvirginiamajority.org, 347-287-5794
Margie Del Castillo of NLIRH Virginia Latina Advocacy Network, margie@latinainstitute.org, 571-436-5673
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The Drive Virginia Forward Coalition, composed of Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations (VACOLAO), NLIRH Virginia Latina Advocacy Network, Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Right (VACIR), National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Sacred Heart Center, and Virginia New Majority, seeks to promote legislation that will benefit all Virginians by making our roads safer, generating increased state revenues and stimulating state and local economies.
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