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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: Napolitano signs bill to keep AZ out of Real ID
Napolitano signs bill to keep AZ out of Real ID
Last Edited: Wednesday, 18 Jun 2008, 5:27 AM MST
Created: Wednesday, 18 Jun 2008, 5:16 AM MST
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano
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Legislature votes to opt AZ out of Real ID
Bill to crack down on drivers without licenses defeated
PHOENIX (AP) -- Gov. Janet Napolitano has signed a bill to make Arizona the latest state to refuse to implement new "Real ID" security standards.
The standards are mandated by the federal government for driver's licenses.
However, the Arizona measure has no immediate impact because Arizona has already received a federal extension on Real ID compliance to 2009.
Napolitano says she signed the bill to prohibit state implementation of Real ID because a lack of adequate federal funding makes Real ID "just another unfunded federal mandate."
Other critics also cite the federal mandate and privacy concerns.
The Bush administration says Real ID's requirement for more secure identification will hinder terrorists and illegal immigrants.
Napolitano's office says approximately a dozen other states have refused to implement the Real ID law enacted in 2005.
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: Napolitano: Real ID a no-go in Arizona
Napolitano: Real ID a no-go in Arizona
Matthew Benson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 18, 2008 12:00 AM
Arizona will join roughly a dozen states that have vowed not to participate in federal plans for a uniform standard on state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards.
On Tuesday, Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a measure, House Bill 2677, barring Arizona's compliance with the Real ID program. In so doing, she called it an unfunded federal mandate that would stick states such as Arizona with a multibillion-dollar bill for the cost to develop and implement the series of new fraud-proof identification cards.
HB 2677 is a rare recent example of broad, bipartisan agreement at the state Capitol, with the Democratic governor and GOP-led Legislature finding common ground in their opposition to Real ID.
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Some of that opposition is grounded in concerns about privacy and government advancement toward a national identification card. For Napolitano, the biggest issue is related to Real ID's costs for the states.
In a letter explaining her support for HB 2677, Napolitano cited a White House estimate that Real ID would cost at least $4 billion to implement. But thus far, she said, the federal government has only appropriated $90 million to help Arizona and other states offset those costs.
"My support of the Real ID Act is, and has always been, contingent upon adequate federal funding," Napolitano wrote Tuesday. "Absent that, the Real ID Act becomes just another unfunded federal mandate."
U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keehner disputed the characterization, saying states have access to hundreds of millions in federal grants to help pay for Real ID implementation.
Arizona and other states that have taken a stand against Real ID now are on a collision course with the federal government.
The program was approved by Congress in 2005 as part of a package of post-9/11 security recommendations. While state compliance is voluntary, individuals will be required by the end of 2009 to carry identification that meets Real ID standards in order to board commercial flights or enter federal buildings.
That provision still stands, Keehner said, adding, "The rules are clear."
Dan Pochoda, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, scoffed at the suggestion that millions of Americans would be barred from air travel or federal buildings because of the standoff between the states and federal government. His organization has been a vocal opponent of Real ID because of concerns about privacy and government intrusion.
Said Pochoda, "I can guarantee that 25 percent of airline travelers will not be banned from the purchasing of airline tickets in 2009."
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:29 pm Post subject: Our View: Identifying problems with unfunded mandates
June 19, 2008 - 9:02PM
Our View: Identifying problems with unfunded mandates
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Tribune Editorial
Arizona last week joined the growing list of states who are telling the federal government to take a hike regarding implementing its REAL ID Act, which, in addition to calling for making driver’s licenses more secure as identification, links state databases in such a way that has properly alarmed civil libertarians who fear it would become a national identification card.
Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a bill Tuesday making it illegal for Arizona to implement REAL ID, passed by Congress in 2005. Her reasons were not based on civil liberties, but on REAL ID being yet another unfunded federal mandate.
Although, as Capitol Media Services reported in Wednesday’s Tribune, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security official blustered about there being “real consequences” for Arizonans as a result, REAL ID isn’t likely to become a reality, certainly not as long as it is not funded and certainly not with 14 states — so far — refusing to support it.
The governor, in a message to the Legislature explaining her reasons for signing House Bill 2677, suggested the House and Senate re-examine her proposal for the “3-in-1” enhanced driver’s license.
The “3-in-1” would be Arizona’s own driver’s license that would also enable the holder to show verification of his or her immigration status and to be able to travel between the United States, Canada and Mexico without a passport.
Many in the Legislature have doubts about the “3-in-1,” and it so far has not found enough favor in their chambers.
But the underlying reasons behind REAL ID and “3-in-1” — that current driver’s licenses are far too easy to counterfeit and fail to do enough to thwart their use by America’s enemies — should urge both lawmakers and the governor should begin work anew.
The prognosis for REAL ID is poor, and if not “3-in-1,” then there had better be something to replace the present driver’s license, which in its current state is not too daunting a task for a teenager with talent to fabricate.
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject: Air travelers now must show ID to clear checkpoint
Posted on Sat, Jun. 21, 2008
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Air travelers now must show ID to clear checkpoint
By BRYON OKADA
okada@star-telegram.com
D/FW AIRPORT — Every once in a while an air traveler will refuse to show identification at security checkpoints arguing that the government doesn’t have the right to ask to "see one’s papers."
Well, starting today, any passengers who willfully refuse to show identification won’t be allowed through the checkpoints.
"They’re refusing to comply with the security processes," said Andrea McCauley, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration.
What if I lost my ID?
On average, about 300 airline passengers a day go through airport security nationwide without identification.
They lost it.
It was stolen.
They forgot and left it at home.
All are legitimate reasons, say officials with the TSA, and with some extra screening they’ll be fine.
Are there privacy concerns?
Some privacy advocates worry that this may be another step toward Americans having to carry documentation for any sort of travel.
In addition, smaller programs like this, applicable to just a few people, can be seen as precursors to more widespread federal programs such as REAL ID.
What is REAL ID?
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005, and it went into effect May 11. It is intended to make it more difficult to acquire a fake driver’s license or ID card and was endorsed by the 9/11 Commission as a way to fight terrorism. States are required to overhaul driver’s licenses and ID cards, which will likely cost tens of millions of dollars, and encode them with hard-to-fake data on the face of the card, such as:
information and security features to prevent fraud;
proof of identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status;
verification of the source documents for personal information;
security measures by the offices that issue licenses and identification cards.
Texas and other states have gained extensions for implementing REAL ID, so a current driver’s license is still acceptable as a form of ID for boarding federally regulated airplanes, or accessing federal facilities or nuclear power plants. For more information, go to www.dhs.gov and search for REAL ID.
On Friday, the DHS announced $80 million in state grants to push REAL ID forward. Texas received $3.2 million.
Am I excluded from REAL ID if I’m an undocumented immigrant?
It looks that way. States must verify an applicant’s lawful status in the U.S. before issuing a REAL ID license or card. (The REAL ID Act does not prohibit a state from issuing noncompliant driver’s licenses and state identification. Those, however, cannot be accepted by federal agencies for official purposes, including boarding commercial aircraft, and must be clearly marked as not acceptable for federal purposes.)
BRYON OKADA, 817-390-7752
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:33 pm Post subject: Missouri to build interface for Real ID
AT LEAST REP JIM GUEST FOUGHT HARD AGAINST THIS A MAN WHO TRULY LOVES FREEDOM.
Missouri to build interface for Real ID
By Ben Bain
Published on June 20, 2008
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The Homeland Security Department today announced it has awarded $17 million to Missouri's state government to lead the development of a common interface that states will use to verify documents that individuals use to apply for state-issued identification as part of the Real ID program.
The “verification hub” will act as a central router that states can use to confirm the documentation against other states’ databases, as well as federal document issuing authorities. DHS also announced grants of $1.2 million each to Florida, Indiana, Nevada and Wisconsin to test and implement the initiative.
The Real ID final rule published in January set a minimum standard for state issued identification and requirements for how data is stored and shared between states' department of motor vehicles. By May 11, 2011, states must have completed the information technology and communication infrastructure necessary for Real ID.
DHS’ Real ID program is meant to implement requirements laid out by the Real ID Act of 2005.
DHS said the system would “be built and governed by the states.” Critics of the REAL ID program have voiced concerns that the program represents movement toward a national ID card.
However, several state legislatures have passed legislation preventing states from spending money on the program, setting up a potential showdown between the federal agency and state governments. That will not happen until Dec. 31, 2009, as DHS granted extensions even to states that were prevented from complying but had implemented their own security measures that coincided with those required by Real ID.
The “verification hub” awards made today were announced as part of $79 million worth of fiscal 2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grants. DHS said it had previously awarded $58 million in Real ID implementation assistance.
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:34 pm Post subject: Missouri wins Real ID grant contest
Missouri wins Real ID grant contest
By Sarah Lohman
POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU
06/21/2008
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that Missouri had won a competition to receive a $17.5 million grant to develop a large part of the government's new Real ID program — a plan to make drivers licenses and IDs secure from fraud.
The department announced that $79 million will be granted to 48 states and territories to help them comply with the Real ID plan, which was developed as part of the 9/11 Commission Report to prevent people from fraudulently getting a license with false information or acquiring multiple licenses.
Missouri will get the biggest share after being chosen to develop the "verification hub" — which would connect department of motor vehicle offices in one state with another state's databases.
Florida, Indiana, Nevada and Wisconsin will each receive $1.2 million to help Missouri. Illinois stands to get about $2.3 million to implement the system.
"Americans overwhelmingly want secure identification, and this funding will help those states working to provide it," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in a statement.
The hub will provide easy access for department of motor vehicles offices to government records such as birth certificates, Social Security numbers and state-ID histories.
Omar Davis, Missouri's director of revenue, said every state's information will not be contained in one location. He said a server will allow information to be exchanged instantaneously, eliminating the delays of phone calls or faxes.
Around the country, the program's requirements will be carried out by whichever state agency issues drivers licenses, said Amy Kudwa, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security. She said the new program shouldn't result in any extra delays for people applying for legitimate licenses.
Secretaries of state or other state agencies would be required to incorporate information and security features into each card.
Workers at motor vehicle offices would be required to:
— Verify the source documents provided by applicants to prove the applicant's identity and U.S. citizenship or legal status.
— Check if the applicant has been issued a license or ID in another state.
— Verify that the applicant's Social Security number is valid and belongs to that applicant.
States will be required to meet the new standards by Dec. 31, 2009. By Dec. 31, 2014, all license holders age 50 or younger must have IDs that comply with the new requirements.
Real IDs, or a passport, will be required to fly on a commercial airplane, get inside a nuclear plant or enter a federal building — even the Gateway Arch, Griffith said.
States will be required to meet the new standards by Dec. 31, 2009. By Dec. 31, 2014, all license holders age 50 or younger must have IDs that comply with the new requirements.
Better be on the watch for 50+ terorists entering Federal Buildings or getting on planes.
Quote:
Missouri will get the biggest share after being chosen to develop the "verification hub" — which would connect department of motor vehicle offices in one state with another state's databases.
Connecting the State databases makes it a national database and that makes it a national id card. Welcome to prewar Germany. _________________ Buy American
www.buydirectusa.com/shop/ http://tinyurl.com/bpdo5
Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:37 am Post subject: Digimarc Receives Part of $80 Mln. FY2008 REAL ID Grants
Digimarc Receives Part of $80 Mln. FY2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grants For 26 States
6/22/2008 4:28 AM ET
(RTTNews) - Digimarc Corp. (DMRC: News, Chart, Quote ) said twenty-six of its states received a portion of the nearly $80 million REAL ID Demonstration Grants announced by the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2008. More than $58 million was awarded to support state-specific programs to achieve REAL ID material compliance. Funding was also provided for the development and testing of the verification hub that will enable all states to verify applicant proof-of-identity documents.
Based in Beaverton, Oregon, Digimarc Corp. is a supplier of secure identity and media management solutions
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:51 am Post subject: AAMVA to build REAL ID verification hub
AAMVA to build REAL ID verification hub
By Michael Hampton
Posted: June 22, 2008 2:27 pm
Updated: June 22, 2008 3:04 pm
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The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators received a no-bid contract worth millions of dollars to implement a “verification hub” connecting state and federal databases under the REAL ID program.
AAMVA, which already maintains a database of commercial drivers in every state, was believed to be the company that would get the contract for the verification hub which, when completed, will allow states to electronically verify documents such as birth certificates and Social Security cards with other states and with the federal government.
The database begins with a $17 million REAL ID Demonstration Grant awarded to the state of Missouri, which will then pass on that cash to AAMVA to do the actual work of developing the system. Four other states, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and Wisconsin, received $1.2 million grants to be the first states to connect to the new database.
The grants were a portion of nearly $80 million in grants awarded to 48 states and territories to implement various parts of REAL ID in those states. Every state and territory which applied for funding received at least $300,000, according to DHS. Only Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington state did not apply for funding. Many of those states are not participating in REAL ID.
That $80 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated $11 billion price tag for REAL ID. It’s like getting two cents when you need $30.
AAMVA calculates the final costs of building out the database would reach as high as $130 million. AAMVA maintains its driver’s license database through a contract with EDS Corp. of Plano, Texas.
Meanwhile, EDS currently charges AMMVA a maintenance fee for maintaining its commercial driver records. That charge, according to sources, is $0.08334 per month for each record. Under REAL ID, then, EDS could become responsible for maintaining up to 240 million driver records across the United States, potentially netting EDS as much as $240 million per year merely for maintaining commercial driver records. — Homeland Security Today
Homeland Stupidity was the first to note that AAMVA would likely get the contract for the central database which linked the states together under REAL ID.
DHS has said the central verification hub will not diminish privacy or put people at risk. And I have a million bushels of Iowa corn to sell you.
“Personally identifiable information, beyond the minimum information necessary to appropriately route verification queries, will not be stored,” reads a statement on the DHS web site regarding the verification hub. Sounds good, right? Take a second look. It’s a carefully worded statement. That “minimum information necessary” just happens to include, well, all your most important identity information: your name, birthdate, Social Security number, driver license number, address, and perhaps a few other things I can’t think of offhand. That’s more than enough to keep a corrupt employee or a hacker in stolen identities forever.
“Americans overwhelmingly want secure identification, and this funding will help those states working to provide it,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “We’ve made it more affordable for states to implement REAL ID by dramatically cutting costs and providing various and considerable funding options, and we’re requesting additional funding next year.”
If Americans overwhelmingly wanted REAL ID, why didn’t Congress just bring it up for a vote on its own merits, instead of sneaking it in the back door attached to an Iraq war funding bill?
It seems to me that Americans overwhelmingly want to be safe. But what threats do Americans really face? Terrorism doesn’t even belong on the radar; it’s too rare an occurrence. Accidents and crime certainly do belong on the radar. But the biggest threat to any given American’s security is his own government. These are the people who can harm or kill you and get away with it.
When you consider privacy (and by the way, privacy is a form of security; by giving it up you make yourself more vulnerable) you must consider that the government, the only institution which can get away with unjustly hurting or killing you — and which routinely does so — has all your information, and they can change the “rules” at any time.
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject: Independent film maker eyes Guest
Independent film maker eyes Guest
by Alyson E. Raletz
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
A state representative from King City who doubles as a radio talk show host could end up on the big screen, too.
Independent film maker William Lewis interviewed Rep. Jim Guest, a Republican, on Monday for about two hours. He'll use the footage for a new documentary on Americans’ "loss of rights and freedoms," according to an e-mail from the legislator.
"William Lewis Productions/Bridgestone Media Group chose Rep. Guest from legislators all over the U.S. for his record on protecting citizens' constitutional guarantees," he wrote.
Mr. Guest told the News-Press the interview focused mainly on the national movement he's leading against the Federal Real ID Act of 2005, which authorizes the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to set requirements for national driver's licenses.
Mr. Guest and a slew of other politicians nationwide oppose the law because of privacy concerns and have challenged its constitutionality.
While in King City Monday, Mr. Lewis shot additional footage of the wind farm and also interviewed residents on their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with federal government.
Mr. Lewis recently had returned from the Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado, where his film "Washington You’re Fired!" premiered.
Mr. Guest met the film maker earlier this year when he appeared as a guest on "The Jim Guest Show," where the Republican discusses the above issues at length with featured speakers.
The show airs through satellite feed to FM radio stations around the country, but reaps most of its listenership from the Web. His show starts at 9 a.m. on Sundays at www.thejimguestshow.com through Republic Broadcasting.
Mr. Lewis said he needed subjects for an upcoming film, so he scheduled a trip to King City.
Mr. Guest said he's unsure when the film will be completed.
Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject: Maine group questions Real ID grant
Maine group questions Real ID grant
June 24, 2008
AUGUSTA, Maine—Maine is receiving a $1 million federal grant to bring the state closer to compliance with the Real ID anti-terrorism law.
The Maine Civil Liberties Union says the Department of Homeland Security grant can be used for facial recognition technology and other driver's license security measures to bring the state into compliance with Real ID. But the MCLU points out that Maine is barred by state law from compliance with the 2007 law.
A separate law passed this year bolsters Maine driver's license security. Passage of the law removed the threat that state residents would be put through extra security when boarding planes or entering federal facilities. The MCLU supports efforts to repeal that law through a ballot initiative.
Gov. John Baldacci supports the license law, which he says is not Real ID. Baldacci says the state can receive the federal grant without being Real ID compliant.
Commentary - Jim Harper: A good way to save $80 million? Junk REAL ID program
Article History
There are updates to this article.
Jun 25, 2008 3:00 AM (1 day ago) by Jim Harper, The Examiner
Filed under: WASHINGTON , Jim Harper , Think Tanking
Comment on this article
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The Department of Homeland Security is throwing good money after bad. Congress should immediately rescind this spending and repeal the national ID law.
In May, the deadline for state compliance with the REAL ID Act passed without a single state meeting the national ID law’s requirements.
Now we see that the DHS’s grant-making process is in collapse, and it can’t even buy state participation.
Many states have barred themselves by law from implementing REAL ID, and grant applications from other states were described by an insider as “very poor.” A large chunk of the funds going to one state for a driver surveillance “hub” amounts to a no-bid, noncompetitive contract.
Though it would barely dent the enormous cost of implementing REAL ID, the $80 million being spent is $80 million wasted.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:39 am Post subject: More states frustrated over Real ID
More states frustrated over Real ID
Thursday, June 26 2008
Homeland Security starts writing checks but states are still frsutrated
By Zack Martin, Editor
Real ID came out of the 9/11 Commission recommendations suggesting states should do more to identify individuals applying for driver license and state IDs. This was in response to the fact that some of the 9/11 hijackers were able to obtain multiple driver licenses from different states.
To say the law is controversial is an understatement. The 2005 legislation is the new boogeyman. Some say it’s the first stop toward a national ID and eventually a police state where every citizen will have to present his or her “papers” on demand. Others say it’s a long overdue initiative to repair holes in a flawed system.
Many or most states, which have to implement new policies and procedures to comply with the law, don’t like it either and call it an unfunded mandate. They say billions of dollars will have to be spent in order to comply and what the federal government is giving them isn’t enough.
Some states disagree with the law so strongly they have passed laws saying they won’t comply. Arizona is the latest state to pass a law and at least 12 others have already done so.
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano signed a bill saying they won’t meet the requirements of the law. Napolitano’s biggest issue is the cost of Real ID. She cited a White House estimate that Real ID would cost at least $4 billion to implement. But thus far, she said, the federal government has only appropriated $90 million to help Arizona and other states comply with the measure.
Maine is another state that has passed a law saying it won't comply with Real ID. The state did, however, accept a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to improve its driver license security.
Listen to the re:ID Podcast Episode 17: Maine has privacy concerns with Real ID
At least 12 states have passed legislation saying they won't comply with Real ID, the federal mandate to secure state-issues IDs and driver licenses. Lawmakers in Main have been particularly outspoken regarding the law. Regarding ID Editor Zack Martin speaks with Maine State Sen. Phil Bartlett about the law and why the state has some concerns.
Listen now.
Maine Gov. John Baldacci told the Bangor Daily News that just because the state took the money doesn’t mean it’s going to comply with the law. “This is not Real ID. The description of the program says specifically that you do not have to be Real ID-compliant to access the funds. Everybody needs to read the details and see that this keeps us in conformity to the law [of Maine] and to the prior law."
While publicly states may complain about Real ID, those in the motor vehicle departments know the recommendations make sense and need to be implemented, says Jeremy Grant, senior vice president and identity solutions analyst at the Stanford Group Company. “Do you want to be known as the state with the weakest licenses?” he asks.
Politically it might not make sense either, Grant says. Imagine the campaign ads depicting an individual against Real ID and the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. States are making noise so they can get the funds to make the necessary changes. “Everything we see shows states making the necessary security changes to their licenses,” Grant says.
And Homeland Security is starting to send some checks. The agency has announced $79 million in Real ID grants.
Verification hub seen by supporters as essential, detractors as ominous
Missouri was awarded $17 million to lead the development of the verification hub. This hub will be used as a central router to provide verification to motor vehicle departments of an applicant’s source documents. States will be able to verify the identity, lawful status and Social Security number of an applicant through this common interface. Four other states – Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and Wisconsin – were awarded $1.2 million to partner with Missouri for verification hub testing and implementation.
The Silver Spring, Md.-based National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems has been working with Homeland Security on the hub, says Garland Land, executive director at NAPHSIS. This has been a challenge because so many of the breeder documents, birth certificates, are still on paper. Also, there is no standard format for birth certificates and it’s difficult to tell if it’s authentic by looking at it.
The hub is a Web application where a DMV employee enters certain information from a birth certificate. This information is sent to he issuing state and it comes back with a match or no match within a few seconds, Land says. One of the initial concerns from states was that many of these records weren’t available electronically. Over the past few years, states have remedied that.
NAPHSIS already has been working with several state DMVs, the U.S. State Department’s Passport Office and the Social Security Administration on testing the system for the past few years, Land says.
Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: Episode 17: Maine has privacy concerns with Real ID
Episode 17: Maine has privacy concerns with Real ID
Tuesday, July 1 2008
At least 12 states have passed legislation saying they won't comply with Real ID, the federal mandate to secure state-issues IDs and driver licenses. Lawmakers in Main have been particularly outspoken regarding the law. Regarding ID Editor Zack Martin speaks with Maine State Sen. Phil Bartlett about the law and why the state has some concerns.
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:39 pm Post subject: REAL ID, real scary
REAL ID, real scary
Missouri won the "right" to institutionalize a totalitarian agenda when it received a contract award for REAL ID authentication ("Missouri wins Real ID grant contest," June 21). Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a bald-faced untruth when he said the citizens of this country wanted REAL ID. Ten states have refused to implement REAL ID; 13 have laws in the works to stop its implementation, including Missouri.
The REAL ID future plan is to implement its use across state lines. In other words, if you want to go from Kansas to Missouri you need REAL ID.
I hope, "Give me your papers" won't become a part of our culture. This country needs to be awakened from its coma.
Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject: Vehicle renewals to cost $5 more at DMV offices
Vehicle renewals to cost $5 more at DMV offices
In-person fee aims to shift transactions to phone or Internet
Sunday, Jun 29, 2008 - 12:09 AM
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By JIM NOLAN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Starting July 1, renewing your motor-vehicle registration at one of Virginia's 74 Department of Motor Vehicles offices is going to cost you more than a wait.
Try another $5.
Renewing your registration in person will cost $44, up from $39.
The increase, which the General Assembly approved this year in Senate Bill 116, is part of an effort to shift many routine DMV customer services to the phone or Internet.
The result, officials say, will save the department money and mean less waiting in line at DMV branches. It also will free employees to help customers with more complex transactions, and allow the department to begin preparing to implement the federally mandated Real ID program in late 2009. That law, which Congress passed in 2005, sets national standards for state-issued driver's licenses.
"We'd like to reduce waiting lines, and it's cheaper on a transactional basis," said DMV Commissioner D.B. Smit.
"We're also looking at Real ID, and we've got to clear out a lot of space to make room for folks that are going to have to come in to our customer-service centers to get their driver's license renewed when it comes into effect."
Officials say nearly 99 percent of vehicle-registration renewals can be processed without going to a DMV office. Currently, only 65 percent of Virginia car owners renew by mail, phone or Internet.
The $5 surcharge stick is not without a carrot -- those who register online will receive a $1 discount on the current fee and avoid the $5 surcharge. Those who renew for a two-year period will receive a $2 discount.
Those who renew registrations by mail will also avoid the $5 surcharge, as will those who use the DMV's automated phone service.
The $5 surcharge will be waived if a customer has to use the service center for an additional transaction that cannot be completed through any other means.
Officials note that only a handful of transactions need to be done in person at a DMV customer-service center. Among them are the first-time application for a driver's license, obtaining a commercial driver's license and obtaining an identification card.
DMV has until December 2009 to implement the first stage of the Real ID Act.
The complex act will, in part, establish electronic databases to verify identifications people use to board airplanes and enter federal facilities.
Eventually, every driver in the state will have to come to a DMV customer-service center to renew their license for the first time after the law is implemented.
Officials say it will bring 250,000 more people into DMV offices each year, which they say is another reason to encourage customers now, by means of a surcharge, to avoid using the offices for the easy transactions.
"We're going to start moving that traffic out and backfilling with much more complex transactions," Smit said. "This creates the space that we otherwise would not have."
Contact Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com
Joined: May 22, 2006 Posts: 28640 Location: Mexifornia
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2008 1:18 am Post subject:
Published: June 29, 2008 10:14 pm
Real ID still being eyed by lawmaker
By Mannix Porterfield
Register-Herald Reporter
CHARLESTON — Just how much personal data on American citizens does the federal government need in its vast network of computer files to safeguard the homeland from terrorists and keep track of illegal aliens?
For two men generally on opposite sides of the political spectrum, that is the heart of their opposition to Real ID.
“The issue is still the issue of privacy,” says Sen. Clark Barnes, a conservative Republican who represents Randolph County in West Virginia’s 15th senatorial district.
“The issue hasn’t changed.”
To Seth DiStefano, field organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union in West Virginia, the right of individual privacy, free of unwarranted government intrusion, is likewise a key point in his group’s dissent with Real ID.
Congress mandated the program that calls for a national identification card using a driver’s license.
While the stated intention was to crack down on illegal aliens taking up residency in this country, and to provide more security against terrorists, men such as Barnes and DiStefano see disturbing elements at play.
Barnes sees a parallel in the so-called “fusion centers,” designed to be criminal information banks shared between police departments. In that concept, the senator has no problem.
“That was active investigation information, and now there are reports that some of these fusion centers around the country that have been established are incorporating a whole lot more information than current active criminal investigations,” he says.
While it might not be directly linked to Real ID, the senator views this as another realm that embraces privacy questions and needs to be studied.
“How much information is really necessary?” Barnes asked.
“The limits of the information that will eventually be required on Real ID are yet undetermined. Is it just a name and a Social Security number and an address?”
Barnes points to groups that combat domestic violence with concerns that Real ID would require everyone’s name, including victims of spousal abuse, and a physical address on a driver’s license.
“So for every positive purpose that they may require information on this, there may be a negative result in some areas,” he says.
“If you have to show your ID at a store to get a check approved or show that a credit card belongs to you, you’re laying your personal information out there. That may seem insignificant to most people, but it’s very significant to people whose lives may be in danger.”
In the past, Barnes noted, a motorist’s mailing address could suffice.
He says he also is concerned that the government, by using a Real ID, could snoop at stores where Americans shop, knowing instantly what they bought and when and how much they paid for their purchases.
“Much of that is tracked electronically already without people’s knowledge,” Barnes says.
“People that use the Internet, buying information or retrieving information, already are being documented somewhere in some computer bank. At this particular point, it’s not with the government. And although we may not like our privacy to be exposed in a commercial manner, it already is.”
What happens when the government gets its hands on one’s personal data?
“When the government starts accumulating this information, then the question is, although it may be for positive purposes now, what negative purpose could it be used for in the future?”
Barnes recalled the Legislature’s move last winter, working with the American Association of Retired Persons and Attorney General Darrell McGraw to restrict organizations from sharing information with one another without written permission.
Which leads to the heart of Barnes’ dissent — what happens when the government can absorb one’s personal data and store it?
“They don’t need to give it to somebody else,” he says. “It’s shared within agencies already. Big Brother is here.”
While the ACLU took an active role in the stalled bill that Barnes crafted at its request, DiStefano says his group is focusing its attention for now at the federal level.
DiStefano finds another area to attack the Real ID — the uncertainty over what the program will cost.
Originally, it was estimated to be a $23 billion project, but that has been scaled down to $10 billion. In West Virginia, the cost has floated from $20 million-plus to anywhere between $2 million and $5 million.
“There has been some very, very fuzzy math on this issue,” the ACLU official said.
Moreover, he points to a growing number of states that have moved to block Real ID, most recently Arizona, raising to 19 the ranks of those in opposition.
“The general consensus is that Real ID is dying on the vine,” he said while attending last week’s special legislative session.
“A lot of people in West Virginia — liberal and conservative — are still paying very close attention to the issue. The ground war is being won against the program.”
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:49 am Post subject: Real ID not needed, invades privacy
Real ID not needed, invades privacy
July 02, 2008
Editor, the Record:
I am sorely disappointed in the vote by Representatives Scavello and Siptroth on Wednesday against Representative Rohrer's amendment to HB 2537.
Sam Rohrer's bill, HB 1351, opposes implementation of Real ID in Pennsylvania. Rather than allow it out of committee onto the floor for a vote, Representative Curtis Thomas engaged in a shameful program of holding "hearings" in various Pennsylvania locations. His stated objective was to hear from the people.
After seeing what went on at the hearing in Scranton, I have concluded that Thomas was there merely to try to convince the public that Real ID is badly needed. At the hearing, I heard plenty of testimony from the public against it.
Clearly, the people are not crying out for more government intrusion, but less. In my estimation, this is a clear-cut case of government run amok attempting to force upon the people something which they do not want.
As if to rub salt into this wound, Thomas introduced his own Real ID bill (HB 2537) and fast-tracked it through his committee and onto the floor for a vote, while Representative Rohrer's bill accumulated dust for over a year. This is shameful.
The major difference in the bills is that the Thomas bill omits prohibitions against biometric data gathering by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PennDOT has already converted our DL photos over to biometric data without our permission. That data can now be added to a nationwide database, and shared with other governments and the United Nations.
Rohrer's amendment would have added back into Thomas's bill that prohibition for the protection of the rights and privacy of Pennsylvania citizens.
Mr. Siptroth and Scavello are seriously wrong about this issue. They have voted against the people and the Constitution of this Commonwealth.
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject: Signature effort takes place
Signature effort takes place
By MATTHEW STONE
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 07/06/2008
Signature-gathering volunteers seeking to repeal Maine legislators’ April decision to comply with federal REAL ID provisions staked out civic celebrations across the state this weekend.
As the results of their signature collection push filter in, however, leaders of the effort to bring the REAL ID question before voters in November are still uncertain how close they have come to the 55,087-signature threshold.
“I just don’t know,” said Lu Bauer, one of three people coordinating the repeal effort.
“We’ve got a big push on right now. Certainly a lot are being collected.”
The group faces a July 17 deadline to turn in the signatures — equal to a third of the votes cast in the 2006 gubernatorial contest — to the Secretary of State’s office.
If a question is approved for November’s ballot and voters favor the repeal, Maine law would not require driver’s license applicants to prove they legally reside in the United States.
Nearly 600 volunteers targeted approximately 20 locations throughout Maine on Friday, said Bauer, a Brunswick resident.
Bauer is working with Kathleen McGee, of Bowdoinham, and Chris Miller, of Gray, to coordinate the repeal effort.
At least five volunteers circulated petitions in Winslow on Friday at Independence Day festivities that reportedly attracted 30,000 people. Volunteers also targeted celebrations in, among other towns, Athens, Bangor, Bar Harbor, Biddeford, Blue Hill and Portland.
A plane towing a banner reading “Sign ‘Repeal REAL ID’ Petition” flew along the coast from south of Portland to Bath and back, Bauer said.
Signature gathering continued on Saturday at the Bath Heritage Days celebration.
On Friday in Bath, Bauer said she collected 400 signatures during her petition circulating stint.
“It’s amazing when people are walking up the path and they see the sign and they run over to the table,” she said. “They’ve been looking for us.”
McGee said on Thursday if the repeal effort does not reach the 55,087-signature threshold, it would be due to limited time for signature collection and not due to a lack of support for repealing the law.
Skip Greenlaw of the Maine Coalition to Save Schools said his group made progress on July 4 gathering signatures to support a repeal of the state’s school-district consolidation law.
Greenlaw, a Stonington resident, collected signatures in his home town and volunteers targeted other towns, including Winslow. The group is attempting to land the question on the November 2009 ballot.
As local officials continue to work on school-district mergers, Greenlaw said he and volunteers continue to find opposition to the law which requires Maine’s 290 school districts to consolidate into approximately 80.
“People are going ahead doing the plans but that doesn’t mean they’re going to vote for it,” Greenlaw said.
Voters must sign off on their towns’ consolidation plans at the polls before districts can merge.
The anti-consolidation group has already secured more than 51,000 signatures, Greenlaw said, and expects to gather 60,000 names — nearly 5,000 beyond the threshold — by August 15.
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: Repeal Real ID: Petition progress not yet known
Repeal Real ID: Petition progress not yet known
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By Matthew Stone Kennebec Journal Staff Writer July 05, 2008 01:47 PM
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Signature-gathering volunteers seeking to repeal Maine legislators' decision to comply with federal Real ID provisions staked out civic celebrations across the state this weekend.
As the results of their signature collection push filter in, however, leaders of the effort to land the Real ID question before voters in November are still uncertain how close they have come to the 55,087-signature threshold.
"I just don't know," said Lu Bauer, one of three people coordinating the repeal effort. "We've got a big push on right now. Certainly a lot are being collected."
The group faces a July 17 deadline to turn in the more than 55,000 signatures -- equal to a third of the votes cast in the 2006 gubernatorial contest -- to the Secretary of State's office. Volunteers, however, must have their petitions certified by local clerks before submitting them to the Secretary of State.
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:52 pm Post subject: Maine should reverse compromise on REAL ID
Maine should reverse compromise on REAL ID
Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 07/05/2008
The REAL ID Act mandates the states to comply with federal guidelines in order for people to be able to use their state driver's license or ID card to enter a federal building, board an airplane or even open a bank account. The federal government would reserve the right to reject a person's driver's license or ID card from any state that fails to comply.
In 2007, Maine overwhelmingly approved a bill that would restrict the secretary of state from amending "the procedures to applying for a driver's license or nondriver identification card ... in a manner designed to conform to the federal REAL ID Act."
Never in my life had I been so proud to be a Mainer. That feeling, however, was short-lived. In April, the Legislature ordered the secretary to study methods that would comply with measures from the act, "such as facial recognition or similar technology, to ensure that an applicant does not have more than one driver's license or nondriver identification card issued by the State." (LD 2309)
Meaning people would have to give their fingerprint, iris scan or some other biometric data to the state before they can get or renew their license or ID card. This would apply to everyone, irrespective of whether they are a lifelong resident of Maine or is a refugee from another country.
Repeal the new law as an extension of an unjust mandate that forces the state of Maine to comply with REAL ID.
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:02 am Post subject: One Nation, One ID, New World Order?
ublished: July 13, 2008
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One Nation, One ID, New World Order?
By Melissa Filbin
The Real I.D. Act, signed into law in May, will require people living or working in the United States to carry a federally approved identification card. This I.D. card will be needed for nearly all government services and for activities such as traveling on an airplane or opening a bank account.
The I.D. card will make it difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain the identification needed to move freely about the United States; however, it will also affect American citizens. The I.D. card will be distributed through state motor vehicle agencies and require people to present an authentic copy of their birth certificate, social security number, proof of residence and other identification, (all of which will need to be verified by a Department of Motor Vehicles agent) when getting or renewing a drivers license.
Legislatures and governors opposed to the Real I.D. Act say it will greatly increase lines at the DMV.
The Real I.D. Act establishes a centrally-coordinated database of information about American citizens such as name, birthday, sex, I.D. number, a digital photograph and address. The I.D. card will be electronically readable and have security features to prevent tampering, counterfeiting or duplication.
The legislation also grants authority to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, to require biometric information, such as fingerprints, DNA information or a retina scan, on future I.D. cards.
The Real I.D. Act, originally a standalone piece of legislation, was approved in the House, 261-161, in February and then was tacked on to the emergency military spending bill for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Ron Paul, R-TX, was one of three House republicans who voted against the bill. "This bill purports to make us safer from terrorists who may sneak into the United States, and from other illegal immigrants. While I agree that these issues are of vital importance, this bill will do very little to make us more secure. It will not address our real vulnerabilities. It will, however, make us much less free," Paul said in a February 9 House debate on the Real I.D. Act.
Supporters of the Real I.D. Act say the bill does not establish a national I.D. card and it is needed to follow the recommendations made last year by the 9/11 Commission.
F. James Sensenbrenner, R-WIS, introduced the Real I.D. Act to the House. "The goal of the REAL I.D. Act is straightforward. It seeks to prevent another 9/11-type terrorist attack by disrupting terrorist travel. The 9/11 Commission's terrorist travel report stated that 'abuse of the immigration system and a lack of interior enforcement were unwittingly working together to support terrorist activities . . . the Real I.D. Act will make America a safer place," Sensenbrenner said in the February 9 House debate.
The $82 billion war fund bill, including the Real I.D. Act, passed unanimously in the Senate in May and was later signed into law by President Bush. The Real I.D. Act took effect in May 2008.
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:43 am Post subject: Real ID costly and invasive, yet W.Va. moves ever closer to
July 16, 2008
Seth DiStefano
Real ID costly and invasive, yet W.Va. moves ever closer to it
The recent move toward implementation of the federal Real ID program is a step in the wrong direction for West Virginia.
The recent move toward implementation of the federal Real ID program is a step in the wrong direction for West Virginia. The privacy rights of West Virginia citizens should never be used as a bargaining chip for money from the federal government, especially when the federal program in question has universal opposition from a broad spectrum of West Virginians.
Recently, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted unanimously to block the state's participation in the program. If and when the Pennsylvania Senate does the same, the number of states having passed laws prohibiting implementation of Real ID or resolutions condemning the program will exceed 20. Still, West Virginia moves toward compliance.
Having grown up in and around rural West Virginia, I can tell you the difference between a 40-hour paycheck and 20-hour paycheck will be hurtful to many West Virginians caught in the bureaucracy of trying to get a federally mandated identification card just to be able to drive. To add insult to injury, workers who end up taking more time off work to get a license are going to have to pay more for it because some in our state government refuse to consider the costs to individuals as a part of the overall financial burden of Real ID implementation. Truly, government is running like a business when the costs of an unfunded federal mandate like Real ID are passed on to consumers instead of being dealt with at the state level.
Real ID is more than an intrusive government overreach into the privacy of West Virginians. For some, it is an attempt at a national firearms registry. Others feel that this national identity card is a direct violation of their stated religious tenets. Ask any advocate for victims of domestic violence how they feel about national databases with personal information and you will hear about how the Department of Homeland Security has still not reconciled the very dire and possibly deadly consequences those trying to escape abusive relationships may face if this program is implemented. Identity theft, now a burgeoning criminal industry in America, will only worsen under the Real ID system, and we should never forget that at the end of the day, this unfunded federal mandate will not make any of us safer.
With so many reasons for throwing this federal boondoggle to the wayside, why does West Virginia march toward compliance? Is there a business interest with powerful connections to state government pulling the strings for West Virginia's compliance with Real ID? Could this issue be an opportunity to be seen as "tough" on national security?
Whatever the reasons, one thing seems clear: West Virginia, despite steady opposition from its citizenry, both liberals and conservatives, is moving toward compliance with an invasive national identity registry that will cripple state budgets, and, in the process, will increase wait times and drivers license fees at the DMV, while not doing one iota of good with respect to national security.
DiStefano is a community organizer for the ACLU of West Virginia.
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:58 am Post subject: House rebuffs federal plan to secure state IDs
South Carolina & Regional - Wire RSS
Posted on Wed, Jul. 16, 2008
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House rebuffs federal plan to secure state IDs
By WHITNEY WOODWARD - Associated Press Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. --
The North Carolina House voted Wednesday to rebuff a congressional mandate that the state make its driver's licenses more secure because the federal government did not provide money to enact the changes.
The measure, tentatively approved on a 72-43 vote after a heated debate, effectively says North Carolina will not comply with the REAL ID Act without federal funding.
The congressional plan was approved after officials learned some Sept. 11 terrorists held driver's licenses.
Proponents of the federal law say the stringent security checks it mandates will keep government-issued identification cards out of the wallets of terrorists and illegal immigrants.
But state taxpayers would have to pay $21 million each year through 2017 to comply, in addition to a $20 million software upgrade, said bill sponsor Rep. Nelson Cole, D-Rockingham. He criticized the federal government for requiring states to implement the security checks - some of which he called a "tremendous burden" - without offering to foot the bill.
"We need to send that message without the necessary appropriations and the passing-through of funds to us to make it happen, we cannot do it," Cole said while urging House members to approve the plan.
North Carolina has already spent $4.1 million on implementing some of the REAL ID Act's changes, Cole said.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law, Cole's plan would forbid the state from putting more resources into complying with the congressional measure.
But North Carolina would still be allowed to apply for and receive federal grants which could be used to bring the state into compliance. The state has applied for some grants but has yet to receive them, Cole has said.
Rep. Joe Boylan, R-Moore, said residents' lives would be greatly interrupted should North Carolina not comply with the REAL ID Act.
For example, if the federal government does not recognize North Carolina identification cards as valid, residents employed at the Butner Federal Correctional Complex won't be able to enter their work facilities and attorneys won't be able to enter federal courthouses, Boylan said.
"This has much farther implications than just thumbing our nose at Washington D.C.," Boylan said.
To date, 10 states have officially "opted-out" of the federal plan, by passing laws saying that their agencies will not comply with the law, according to data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Others have passed ceremonial resolutions criticizing the program.
With legislators rushing toward adjournment, it's unclear if the General Assembly has enough time to pass the bill and send it to Gov. Mike Easley.
The bill awaits a final vote in the House; approval would send it to the Senate for consideration
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: Real ID cards drawing real controversy
Real ID cards drawing real controversy
By Sarah Lohman
POST-DISPATCH WASHINGTON BUREAU
07/21/2008
WASHINGTON — It seemed like a good idea in the wake of 9/11: a national system of identification cards that would be hard for terrorists to counterfeit or obtain fraudulently.
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But opposition to the still-undeveloped Real ID program is surfacing across the political spectrum, from civil liberties groups worried about privacy infringement, to religious groups that prohibit photographs and state lawmakers who don't have money to pay for the new safeguards.
"I think it's a sign of how obnoxious this piece of legislation is," Tim Sparapani, senior legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, said of the bipartisan nature of opposition to the program.
The opposition even includes some — like a Missouri state representative — who say the plan could lead to more drastic measures — like government tracking of citizens through microchips inserted in their bodies.
Eleven states have passed legislation prohibiting participation in the program. Missouri has been tapped to play a prominent role in developing the new cards, but the state's junior senator, Democrat Claire McCaskill, is co-sponsoring a bill to repeal the law that created Real ID, citing lack of funding for an expensive federal mandate.
Congress passed the law in 2005 following the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, which noted that 18 of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 had fraudulent IDs. The law took effect in May, but the system hasn't been put in place, mostly because of a lack of funding.
The law sets up nationwide standards for identification cards and gives states until December 2009 to require that drivers licenses or other state-issued cards comply with those standards. Cards that meet the new requirements will be needed to board most flights, enter federal buildings and enter secure facilities such as nuclear power plants. Residents of states that don't comply will need to use passports or military identification.
The new card standards include:
•Special card stock that is not widely marketed.
•Ink that is hard to counterfeit.
•A security marking approved by the Department of Homeland Security.
•A machine-readable strip on the back capable of storing more information. The strip will allow law enforcement to swipe the card and retrieve information from it instantly.
In addition, people will be able to get the new cards only with specific forms of identification such as a birth certificate, Social Security card and certain immigration papers.
The Department of Homeland Security so far has awarded $79 million to states to get started on the program. Missouri received the largest portion of the grant — $17.5 million to develop a "verification hub" to connect state motor vehicle offices.
'WASTE OF MONEY'
The cost to states — estimated at $1 million annually — is one of the reasons states have objected to the federal plan.
The Missouri House passed a bill that would prohibit the state from taking part in the Real ID program, but the legislation stalled in the Senate.
In Illinois, the Legislature approved last year a resolution urging Congress to repeal Real ID, but the state has moved forward with planning for when money becomes available.
Henry Haupt, a spokesman for the Illinois secretary of state, said the state had plans to develop a Real ID card different from drivers licenses. The new card would be needed only by people who don't already have a passport.
Civil libertarians have their own concerns about the program.
The ACLU's Sparapani said he worried that the extra information on the back of the cards could be misused by businesses that scan the cards and store the information. That information might then be used for solicitation purposes or sold to other companies, he said.
"It is an invasion of privacy, is an enormous waste of taxpayer money, has a system which is incapable of making us safer and, in fact, would likely make us weaker," Sparapani said.
MICROCHIP?
Even greater fears are expressed by opponents such as Missouri state Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, founder of Legislators Against Real ID and a featured speaker at a recent protest rally in Washington on the subject.
Guest worries Real IDs will someday be required not just to enter a federal building but to buy a prescription or open a bank account.
He worries, too, that Real ID will lead to a requirement that Americans must carry a radio frequency chip that can be tracked.
"Say you start out with your Real ID card, then they put a little RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip on it, so you have to carry that with you, then when you forget to carry your card, they'll just take this little RFID chip and they'll insert this microchip in your arm," Guest said.
Last month, Missouri passed Guest-sponsored legislation to prevent employers from requiring workers to have information chips implanted in their bodies.
Laura Keehner, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, said people's fears about the program were founded on mistruths, dispelled on the department's website (www.dhs.gov).
She said Homeland Security was only following the instruction of Congress and couldn't speak to how the cards would be used in years to come.
"Our record is clear," Keehner said. "How am I to know what anyone in the future is going to do?"
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