States fight as REAL ID deadline nears

[babylonsister]

States fight as REAL ID deadline nears
Montana and New Hampshire are two states revolting against unfunded federal mandates.
By Ben Arnoldy | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the March 31, 2008 edition



Oakland, Calif. - Frustrated by unfunded federal mandates, a number of states are revolting.

The latest case in point: stiff resistance to REAL ID, a controversial post-9/11 law that aims to make driver's licenses more secure.

The Department of Homeland Security set Monday as the deadline for states to get an extension for implementing REAL ID. Miss this deadline, DHS warned resistant states, and come May, your residents won't be allowed to board planes with their current driver's licenses.

Montana is one state that's been opposed to the DHS requirements. Rather than request an extension, it sent DHS a letter explaining what it's already doing to strengthen licenses. Still, DHS responded on March 21 by granting an extension. New Hampshire, another REAL ID holdout, took a similar path with DHS and also got an unasked-for extension last week.

Beyond REAL ID, a series of federal moves in recent years have stepped on states' toes, including the No Child Left Behind Act and federal tort reforms, says David Davenport, professor of public policy at Pepperdine University in California. "The pendulum is swinging a little bit back towards states' rights now, and that's one context in which to see this REAL ID battle," he says.

more...

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0331/p03s03-uspo.html

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. K&R

[Blue_In_AK]

2. There is opposition in Alaska's Senate, as well...

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=8063567

At the Capitol, the Senate voiced concern about the federal program known as Real ID and calls for standardized identity cards to be used in interactions with the federal government.

The Senate voted 14-4 to prohibit the state from spending money to comply with Real ID.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, who sponsored the legislation, says that while law-abiding Alaskans would have their personal information potentially compromised, Real ID would do nothing to stop terrorists from forging their identification.

Wielechowski said Division of Motor Vehicle bureaucrats in every state would have access to the information.

<snip>



And here http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/032508/sta_261490385.shtml

Alaska legislators are balking at joining the federal government's Real ID plan, and don't want to allow state dollars to be used to support the controversial identification requirements some see as an invasion of privacy.

It's an unusually united front, with both the left and the right agreeing that the new federal rules go too far.

<snip>

Prominent Republican Coghill and House Democratic Leader Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau, both oppose Real ID, indicating Coghill's resolution has a good chance of passing.

"The Real ID Act threatens personal liberties without any evidence of making our citizens and our borders any more protected from terrorism," Coghill said.

Kerttula called the federal legislation "very frightening," and said she'd support Wielechowski legislation in the House as well.

"It's another way for the government to intrude in people's lives," she said.

<snip>

Gov. Sarah Palin has also expressed concerns about Real ID.

[riverdeep]

3. And seven years later, the containers still aren't being checked.

But Aunt Midge can't bring her shampoo bottle on. Heckuva job, Bushie.