Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed legislation ensuring that people released from prison receive a valid state identification card before departing.

The Republican said Thursday the measure will reduce recidivism. He said offenders will face fewer problems back in the community when they get out of the Departments of Corrections or Juvenile Justice.

“To combat recidivism we need to remove some of the hurdles offenders face when they are released from a detention facility and begin to reintegrate into society,” Rauner said in a statement. “This will help us end the cycle of recidivism and give former offenders more tools necessary to be successful and thrive and gets Illinois on step closer to safely reducing Illinois’ prison population by 25 percent before 2025.”

The legislation sprung from one of the recommendations made by the Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform, which is charged by Rauner to reduce the prison population by the middle of the next decade.

Rauner was joined by Democratic Secretary of State Jesse White and sponsors of the legislation including Sen. Kwame Raoul, a Chicago Democrat, Sen. Karen McConnaughay, a St. Charles Republican, and Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat.

The law requires the secretary of state’s office to issue a standard Illinois ID card to ex-inmates at the time of release.

The inmate must present a birth certificate, Social Security card or other documents and two proofs of address.

“Offenders who have done their time deserve a fair shot once leaving Illinois’ correctional facilities,” McConnaughay said. “The simple act of providing low-level offenders with identification will help them to secure employment, housing, and establish financial stability.”

For those who do not have the necessary documents, the secretary of state will issue a 90-day ID based on prison records.