Starting January 1, homeless people needing a new or replacement California-issued identification card can get one for free, thanks to a new state law aimed at reducing barriers to accessing government assistance.

AB 1733 signed into law September 2014 requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue state ID's to homeless people free of charge with verification of their housing status. The bill was introduced by Sharon Quirk-Silva of Fullerton.

Another portion of the bill, which makes birth certificates free for the homeless, went into effect last July.

Although there are alternative ways to prove identity, a government ID is the most common and basic way to apply for many assistance programs such as food stamps and healthcare.

But for the thousands facing homelessness, getting an ID card is a long and tough process. For starters, applying for a new or replacement ID requires a mailing address so the DMV can send the new card via the mail – homeless people by definition don’t have home addresses.

Then there are costs: $28 to get a new or replacement ID. It’s $8 for people whose incomes are low enough to be eligible for government assistance programs. But homeless people, if unemployed, struggle to come up with the money.

Finally, there’s the mere fact that being homeless means you are constantly on the go.

“It’s not hard getting it. It’s just keeping it … keeping anything in general on the streets,” said John Descoteaux who was living homeless in Huntington Beach this past summer.

Homeless people are often robbed or their belongings are confiscated. If careless, vital documents such as birth certificates, government IDs and other important paperwork get trashed or stolen.

A government ID is also one of the first things police officers ask for when stopping people. If police can’t confirm someone’s identity, they can ask that person to go through a booking at the police station to confirm who they are.

“For people who experience homelessness, not being able to prove who they are, is a matter of human dignity,” John Bauters, Policy Director for Housing California told KPCC in June.

The state law that goes into effect January 1 allows homeless people to get a new or replacement ID card for free if they can get a social services provider, an attorney, a homeless liaison police officer, or an education counselor working with homeless children to vouch for their housing status.