Mayor Bill de Blasio was all smiles on Monday in Flushing as he announced the launch of the IDNYC municipal ID card program.
Photo Courtesy of Demetrius Freeman/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined by City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, other elected officials and civic leaders on a damp, overcast Monday morning in Flushing, officially launched the IDNYC municipal identification program for residents of all five boroughs.
Signed into law over the summer, with the intention of helping “government work more effectively and efficiently for New Yorkers,” according to the Mayor’s Office, the municipal ID card is available for all city residents age 14 and older. It will be accepted by the NYPD for the purposes of issuing summonses or desk-appearance tickets in lieu of arrest, and has been incorporated into the Patrol Guide. The IDNYC card will grant access to all city buildings, including government offices, schools and hospitals.
“IDNYC identifies you as a card-carrying New Yorker,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), the card’s main sponsor. “This is an exciting day, because today we are saying that all New Yorkers—regardless of gender identity, immigration status, homelessness, or other identifiers—are an important part of our city.”
Additionally, de Blasio announced that the IDNYC card will be accepted as valid primary identification for opening a bank or credit union account at more than ten financial institutions. It will also be integrated into the city’s official prescription drug discount card, BigAppleRx, giving card holders up to 50 percent off most FDA-approved prescription medications at more than 2,000 NYC pharmacies.
The full suite of benefits includes: Exclusive entertainment discounts on movie tickets, Broadway shows, sporting events, theme parks, and more with Entertainment Benefits Group; a 10-percent discount off annual NYC Parks Recreation Center membership for adults age 25-61 and NYC Parks Department tennis permits; a 20-percent discount on family memberships at all 22 YMCA centers citywide; a free 30-day trial and fitness evaluation with a certified trainer at all New York Sports Club locations; a 5-percent discount off all purchases at Food Bazaar supermarkets in the city Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; a 25-percent discount on New York Pass, a citywide pass to 83 tourist attractions in all five boroughs; and a free one-year membership packages at 33 of the city’s leading cultural institutions, including museums, performing arts centers, concert halls, botanical gardens, and zoos.
The city Human Resources Administration will oversee the initiative. De Blasio has indicated that the city will protect the confidentiality of all IDNYC card applications and will not ask applicants about their immigration status. For more information on eligibility criteria, benefits, enrollment centers and more, applicants can visit nyc.gov/idnyc.
By Michael V. Cusenza
