States challenge nat‘l driver‘s license 2007/2
By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer Sun Feb 4, 10:36 PM ET
WASHINGTON - A revolt against a national driver‘s license, begun in Maine last month, is quickly spreading to other states.
Within a week of Maine‘s action, lawmakers in Georgia, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington state also balked at Real ID. They are expected soon to pass laws or adopt resolutions declining to participate in the federal identification network.
The law‘s supporters say it is needed to prevent terrorists and illegal immigrants from getting fake identification cards.
About a dozen states have active legislation against Real ID, including Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming.
"This is almost a frontal assault on the freedoms of America when they require us to carry a national ID to monitor where we are," Guest said in an interview Saturday. "That‘s going too far."
Though most states oppose the law, some such as Indiana and Maryland are looking to comply with Real ID, Sundeen said.
Republic, , ) of New Hampshire, , , ) of Hawaii, filed a bill last year to repeal the law. Sununu expects similar legislation will be introduced soon.
Privacy advocates say a national driver‘s license will promote identity theft.
Barry Steinhardt, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union , said the Real ID ordered by Congress would require a digital photo and probably a fingerprint on each driver‘s license or state-issued ID card. That, he said, will make it more valuable to identity thieves because the ID card will be accepted as much more than a driving credential.
An identity thief, he said, could buy a Real ID from a rogue motor vehicle department employee with is own photo and fingerprint on it.
"The victim is never going to be able to undo this," Steinhardt said.
Other criticisms include:
_Some states will have to invest millions in new computer systems that can communicate with federal databases. That is something they probably will not accomplish by the deadline.
_It will be difficult to comply with the requirement that license applicants prove they are in the country legally. There are more than 100 different immigration statutes, Steinhardt said, which will pose problems for motor vehicle clerks unfamiliar with immigration law.
_It does not solve the problem of terrorism. Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and some of the hijackers from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, had legitimate driver‘s licenses.
_Even the requirement that applicants‘ full legal names appear on licenses will pose problems because some states limit the number of characters on the face of the card.
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On the Net:
Background on Real ID Act: http://www.ncsl.org/standcomm/sctran/realidsummary05.htm
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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