Massachusetts Driver Licenses
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
P000870-070319 |
| Submitted | July 3, 2019 |
| Est. Completion | None |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Molly Redden
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:
1) A list, preferably in a table, of driver license applications submitted in the state of Massachusetts between Jan 1, 2014 to present by people born in Puerto Rico. This should include the date the application was submitted, the person's current residence, their birthplace (Puerto Rico) and if the application was approved, pending or denied and the reason why it is pending or denied.
2) A description of the process and/or policies used to verify the eligibility of people in Puerto Rico for a driver's license in Massachusetts.
3) Copies of all materials and/or instructions used to verify the citizenship of people born in Puerto Rico.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. As I am a member of the media and this information will be used to inform the public, I request a fee waiver for this request. Also, as this is urgent public information, I request that it be expedited.
In the event that there are fees, I would be willing to pay up to $10 and I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.
I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Molly Redden
From: Registry of Motor Vehicles
Dear Ms. Redden,
Your public records request has been received and is being processed. Your request was received by our records access officer on July 03, 2019 and given the case number P000870-070319 for tracking purposes.
You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below, and will receive an email when your request has been completed, or requires any clarification and/or modification.
Thank you for using the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Public Records Request Center. (https://u8387795.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/click?upn=Ow1KccipsoIsnXbuEgm-2FN5CmmBOs9GyjBHZJOifMs2S6JwfvEM4fGgmGp5PP4woLsLgxesad4ILV9K1wMzXacFsFEXLATyiAvRJNQLzXT-2FilZxmnitjexFooyoT7cXkngdWJCwT7Jr-2BvP341bTH71e-2FqQ-2B99rL6UKbZ0PQsx77A-3D_VeVhJC8RAb8XXg1H5fPTTRJJqRGjTkxZIPWsWSnfRngyV9RnPPoPhrCDhESYo5uzrw7nD6eSDtlbaHK03W-2Fg3HqLSio-2F8cZjquo8cCdr1sUF-2FfC3-2FaQb4zeQHIfhbT4TFl0CWu6PGhhF-2Bnu78BBy85Cai-2FTaNS0fMhFxX8yaMXAPda0xOG9k6U3-2BLMOcZHLMHJj8cyu-2FNp-2F9kS1Tpk-2F-2B-2BY7BJ8eY39q2XXzoEkcrArXnoD9s-2B8Gg-2BxcAh9-2FAJDFHtYALj2BUwHijwxoBnoYHE6dlqDiXVOxzKowf0ZTLxR-2FQCZGKqTAfM-2Fur7qXo-2B5-2BwLYjMqIIzjLzUTQmAKCBR4yOnSITjnRleC6zNEaNBJsgtRe9MC8YQQTiEiimXu7YSjmwdJb5XGsvkTHE641JClQ-3D-3D)
From: Registry of Motor Vehicles
Dear Ms. Redden, Thank you for registering with the MassDOT Public Records Center web portal! (You may also be receiving this message if you recently made a public records request by some other method outside of our recommended portal.) Please log in to update any contact or password information, or to track the progress of your request. Login: requests@muckrock.com If you have never used this system, or cannot remember your password, you may request a temporary password here: Request Temporary Password. (https://massachusettsdot.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP/_rs/forgotpassword.aspx?sSessionID=[SESSION_ID]&lp=2&COID=64DA2B6806)
Thank you,
This is an auto-generated email and has originated from an unmonitored email account. Please DO NOT REPLY.
From: Registry of Motor Vehicles
--- Please respond above this line ---
July 15, 2019
Delivered: Via Email to pre@sec.state.ma.us
Supervisor of Records
Division of Public Records
Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
One Ashburton Place, Room 1719
Boston, MA 02108 Our Reference No.: P000870-070319
Re: Petition Seeking Waiver of Statutory Limits to Fees Assessed to Segregate and/or Redact
Dear Supervisor of Records,
Please accept this letter as our initial petition to waive statutory limits to fees pursuant to 950 CMR 32.06(4)(g). This petition is requested as the result of a public records request we received on July 03, 2019 as follows:
“I hereby request the following records:
1) A list, preferably in a table, of driver license applications submitted in the state of Massachusetts between Jan 1, 2014 to present by people born in Puerto Rico. This should include the date the application was submitted, the person's current residence, their birthplace (Puerto Rico) and if the application was approved, pending or denied and the reason why it is pending or denied.
2) A description of the process and/or policies used to verify the eligibility of people in Puerto Rico for a driver's license in Massachusetts.
3) Copies of all materials and/or instructions used to verify the citizenship of people born in Puerto Rico”
We are currently conducting a search for responsive records. However, due to the substance of the request, we believe that many, if not all, of the responsive records will require redaction of records:
that are “specifically or by necessary implication exempted from disclosure by statute” pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 4, Section 7(26)(a) containing personal information under Section 7(26)(c)
Therefore, MassDOT seeks the Supervisor’s permission to charge the requester for time spent segregating and redacting records that are responsive to the request.
With regard to records which must be exempted from disclosure by statute, the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S. Code § 2721) states, in part, "[a] State department of motor vehicles, and any officer, employee, or contractor thereof, shall not knowingly disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity...personal information, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2725(3), about any individual obtained by the department in connection with a motor vehicle record..." Personal information includes information that identifies an individual, including an individual’s photograph, social security number, driver identification number, name, address (but not the 5-digit zip code), telephone number, and medical or disability information.
The Massachusetts Public Records Law allows redaction under Exemption (c) for records likely to contain “personnel and medical files or information; also any other materials or data relating to a specifically named individual, the disclosure of which may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
Based on the above, MassDOT should be allowed to charge for this work. Charging a fee in this matter is necessary because this request cannot be prudently completed without redacting information under these applicable exemptions. The fee is reasonable as it relates to a specific redaction, and the fee is not designed to limit, deter or prevent access to public records; rather, it is meant to protect MassDOT from inadvertently revealing confidential personal information. Releasing the requested records without redaction would impede MassDOT’s security initiatives and obligations under Federal law, as well as jeopardize the privacy of the Commonwealth’s residents and visitors.
Sincerely,
William J. Doyle, Esq.
Records Access Officer
Office of the General Counsel
cc. Molly Redden
From: Registry of Motor Vehicles
--- Please respond above this line ---
July 15, 2019
Molly Redden
Re: Public Records Request for “I hereby request the following records:
1) A list, preferably in a table, of driver license applications submitted in the state of Massachusetts between Jan 1, 2014 to present by people born in Puerto Rico. This should include the date the application was submitted, the person's current residence, their birthplace (Puerto Rico) and if the application was approved, pending or denied and the reason why it is pending or denied.
2) A description of the process and/or policies used to verify the eligibility of people in Puerto Rico for a driver's license in Massachusetts.
3) Copies of all materials and/or instructions used to verify the citizenship of people born in Puerto Rico”
Our Reference No.: P000870-070319
Dear Ms. Redden,
You may have already received (or will shortly) our Petition to the Supervisor of Records relative to your request. In addition, please be advised that we are currently in the process of compiling the records you have requested, as well as determining if the completion of your request is estimated to take more than four (4) hours. If such a determination is made, we will provide a cost estimate to you and will await your further instructions relative to payment, modification/clarification of your request, withdrawal, or other mutually-agreeable arrangements for production.
Sincerely,
William J. Doyle, Esq.
Records Access Officer
Office of the General Counsel
From: Registry of Motor Vehicles
Hello,
Please be aware, the Supervisor of Records has issued a determination relating to an appeal in which you were involved. This determination is attached, and available online at: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/AppealsWeb/AppealsStatus.aspx.
If you have any questions, please contact the Public Records Division at 617-727-2832 or pre@sec.state.ma.us<mailto:pre@sec.state.ma.us>.
Best,
Jacqueline Zamzow
Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Public Records Division
One Ashburton Place, Room 1719
Boston, MA 02108
Files
pages