HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
Although the hearing for Pennsylvania's controversial voter ID law is over, the debate is not.
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center added fuel to the debate when they issued a report saying PennDOT needs to do more to help people get their ID's.
The report is titled 'Pennsylvania's Identity Crisis.' It claims that a rushed implementation of the voter ID law is putting voter rights at risk. According to the report, a big part of the problem is PennDOT.
PA Budget and Policy Center researchers sent secret informants to PennDOT licensing centers to go through the process and find out. Officials are not impressed with the findings.
"There are still a fair amount of barriers that exist for people to get these ID's," said Michael Wood, Research Director for the PA Budget and Policy Center.
Barriers like a lack of signs showing people where they can get an ID. The report also found that PennDOT employees gave out misinformation. For example, telling people they have to pay for an ID, even though they're free.
"People don't like that kind of uncertainty and we're just afraid people might be turned off and decide I'm not going to go through with this hassle," said Wood.
"I think it is very difficult for many people, senior citizens, some of the disenfranchised population of our community to be able to have a license or to be able to get some identification," Harrisburg resident Pat Taksen said.
PennDOT officials say the process isn't so bad. Spokesperson Dennis Buterbaugh issued this statement to abc27:
"PennDOT has been issuing photo ID's to people for years. The ID's for voting purposes are no different. There have not been any major problems."
"I believe it's a bigger issue than PennDOT," said Taksen.
A judge is currently deciding whether the voter ID law is constitutional. He's expected to make a ruling within the next few weeks.
There are an estimated 750,000 registered Pennsylvania voters without a valid photo ID.
