About the REAL ID Act
http://www.savannahnow.com/stories/061105/3093776.shtmlUnder the REAL ID Act, millions of Americans will see new rules affecting how they get their driver's licenses and identification cards. States, which have been mostly in charge of setting standards for their own licenses, will now have to follow the federal mandates or face not having their ID cards recognized by the federal government.
When will the new license requirements be in place?
The federal rules for state driver's licenses and identification cards are scheduled to take effect May of 2008.
What will you have to show to get a driver's license?
Drivers will have to show at least four documents: a document such as a birth certificate that shows a person's date of birth, proof of a Social Security number, something with the person's home address on it like a utility bill and a photo ID.
Foreign documents other than a passport cannot be used so U.S. citizens born in another country can no longer use their birth certificates when getting a license.
What will states have to do with the documents?
Motor vehicle office workers will have to verify each of the documents to make sure they are authentic and to check the driver's U.S. residency and citizenship status. That work will likely involve verifying the information with records from the federal government. But some new systems might have to be created to check the legitimacy of birth records and current addresses.
State licensing officials then will have to make digital copies of the original documents and save paper copies of them for seven years or electronic images for 10 years.
Can't they just switch my current license?
Because states do not currently keep copies of the identification documents, all drivers will have to show up at least once and have those required records verified. States probably will be able to return to online and mail renewal programs once a driver's information is on file.
How will states protect the records they will now be storing?
The law requires that states ensure the physical security of where the cards will be made and the documents people turn in but doesn't say how to do that. Also, motor vehicle workers will have to receive security checks.
Will states share the information?
In order to receive federal money to help with the program, states will have to agree to share driver information electronically with other states. A state's motor vehicle database has to include at least the basic information printed on a person's license as well as driving history, such as violations, suspensions and license points.
How much will the new requirements cost to implement?
The Congressional Budget Office said the REAL ID Act will cost $100 million over the next five years. The National Conference of State Legislatures instead estimates that states will have to spend at least $500 million to $750 million nationwide to comply with the new requirements.
What if a state doesn't adopt the new rules?
States can ignore the federal guidelines. But if they do, their licenses will not be recognized by the federal government. That means drivers in those states could not use their license at federal buildings, airports, national parks or banks. They also will not be able to use their card when trying to get federal government services, such as collecting Social Security payments.
What information will the licenses contain?
Like most licenses now, the federally approved versions will show at least the person's full legal name, date of birth, gender, license or identification card number, digital photograph of the person, primary address and signature. The cards also will include security features to help prevent counterfeiting and tampering.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will come up with a standard feature for all cards that can be read by a machine and contains information. That could range from a magnetic strip that can be swiped or small computer chips similar to ones soon to be used on passports.
The agency also will decide how much personal information to store on that machine-readable feature. It could be nothing more than what is printed on the card to biometric information, such as fingerprints or retina scans, or Social Security numbers.
How will illegal immigrants be affected?
Ten states, including Michigan, North Carolina and Illinois, now grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants but will have to stop once the REAL ID Act takes effect. In certain cases, foreign visitors will be allowed to have temporary licenses.
Why do supporters want the new federally recognized licenses?
Noting that several of the Sept. 11 hijackers had state-issued driver's licenses made under aliases, the 9/11 Commission recommended improving licensing security and verifying identities. Individual states have been making changes in recent years, such as adding digital photographs and checking Social Security numbers, and planned on working with federal transportation officials for new, national standards. The REAL ID Act put most of those security changes in place, but left many of the implementation details up to the Homeland Security to decide.
How did Congress pass the new requirements?
Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., introduced the REAL ID Act earlier this year and called it a way to disrupt terrorist travel. It ended up being added to a military spending bill that authorized money for the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as tsunami relief. The $82 billion spending bill passed overwhelmingly in both chambers before being signed by President Bush, but critics have complained about the way the REAL ID legislation was included.