a) Any natural person who is a resident of the State of Illinois may file an application for an identification card, or for the renewal thereof, in a manner prescribed by the Secretary. Each original application shall be completed by the applicant in full and shall set forth the legal name, residence address and zip code, social security number, birth date, sex and a brief description of the applicant. The applicant shall be photographed, unless the Secretary of State has provided by rule for the issuance of identification cards without photographs and the applicant is deemed eligible for an identification card without a photograph under the terms and conditions imposed by the Secretary of State, and he or she shall also submit any other information as the Secretary may deem necessary or such documentation as the Secretary may require to determine the identity of the applicant. In addition to the residence address, the Secretary may allow the applicant to provide a mailing address. If the applicant is a judicial officer as defined in Section 1-10 of the Judicial Privacy Act or a peace officer, the applicant may elect to have his or her office or work address in lieu of the applicant’s residence or mailing address. An applicant for an Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Card must also submit with each original or renewal application, on forms prescribed by the Secretary, such documentation as the Secretary may require, establishing that the applicant is a “person with a disability” as defined in Section 4A of this Act, and setting forth the applicant’s type and class of disability as set forth in Section 4A of this Act. For the purposes of this subsection (a), “peace officer” means any person who by virtue of his or her office or public employment is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order or to make arrests for a violation of any penal statute of this State, whether that duty extends to all violations or is limited to specific violations.
     (a-5) Upon the first issuance of a request for proposals for a digital driver’s license and identification card issuance and facial recognition system issued after January 1, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-513), and upon implementation of a new or revised system procured pursuant to that request for proposals, the Secretary shall permit applicants to choose between “male”, “female”, or “non-binary” when designating the applicant’s sex on the identification card application form. The sex designated by the applicant shall be displayed on the identification card issued to the applicant.
     (b) Beginning on or before July 1, 2015, for each original or renewal identification card application under this Act, the Secretary shall inquire as to whether the applicant is a veteran for purposes of issuing an identification card with a veteran designation under subsection (c-5) of Section 4 of this Act. The acceptable forms of proof shall include, but are not limited to, Department of Defense form DD-214, Department of Defense form DD-256 for applicants who did not receive a form DD-214 upon the completion of initial basic training, Department of Defense form DD-2 (Retired), an identification card issued under the federal Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015, or a United States Department of Veterans Affairs summary of benefits letter. If the document cannot be stamped, the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall provide a certificate to the veteran to provide to the Secretary of State. The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall advise the Secretary as to what other forms of proof of a person’s status as a veteran are acceptable.
     For each applicant who is issued an identification card with a veteran designation, the Secretary shall provide the Department of Veterans’ Affairs with the applicant’s name, address, date of birth, gender, and such other demographic information as agreed to by the Secretary and the Department. The Department may take steps necessary to confirm the applicant is a veteran. If after due diligence, including writing to the applicant at the address provided by the Secretary, the Department is unable to verify the applicant’s veteran status, the Department shall inform the Secretary, who shall notify the applicant that he or she must confirm status as a veteran, or the identification card will be cancelled.
     For purposes of this subsection (b):
     “Armed forces” means any of the Armed Forces of the United States, including a member of any reserve component or National Guard unit.
     “Veteran” means a person who has served in the armed forces and was discharged or separated under honorable conditions.
     (c) All applicants for REAL ID compliant standard Illinois Identification Cards and Illinois Person with a Disability Identification Cards shall provide proof of lawful status in the United States as defined in 6 C.F.R. § 37.3, as amended. Applicants who are unable to provide the Secretary with proof of lawful status are ineligible for REAL ID compliant identification cards under this Act.