Thread: ID law could mean more hurdles, longer waits at MVD offices

Published: 01.11.2007
ID law could mean more hurdles, longer waits at MVD offices
PAUL DAVENPORT
The Associated Press
PHOENIX - Arizona and other states are still waiting for details on a looming federal identification requirement for driver's licenses, but early indications are that it could pose new hurdles for the public.
That has state officials wondering what changes they need to make and at what cost for Arizona taxpayers. Meanwhile, lawmakers hope their constituents don't get blind-sided.
The federal Real ID Act, a homeland security law enacted in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, imposes a May 11, 2008, deadline for states to adopt common, more stringent security features for driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards.
The hammer is that states must comply in order for their driver's licenses to be honored for airport-security purposes.
But the federal government is still working on rules to spell out what's required, state Transportation Director Victor Mendez said Thursday.
"The tight time frame doesn't really work, especially if there's a technology being required that we don't know what it is yet," he said.
Mendez said possible impacts include a requirement that drivers with multiyear licenses have to renew them more often - something that would increase foot traffic in Motor Vehicle Division offices.
Longer wait times also are expected in other states. In Iowa, the state Department of Transportation has said it will need more workers to verify identifies, while Nevada has warned that motorists will have to appear in person and submit additional documentation to renew licenses.
"There's been talk about biometrics or other technology to ensure that Victor is the person at the counter," Mendez said, using himself as an example. "It's a laudable goal. The question is how do we get there and what are the trade-offs."
Citing potential impact on the driving public, state Rep. John Nelson asked Mendez during a committee hearing to keep lawmakers apprised as implementation plans develop.
Nelson, R-Litchfield Park, said he's worried that people will go to MVD offices to get or renew licenses at the last minute, only to learn of tougher new identification requirements that might require getting documents from other states.
Unless there's plenty of communication, "we're going to have some problems," he said.
Mendez noted that the federal government did not provide money to implement the requirement. "We believe it's going to be pretty significant from the taxpayer standpoint for us to be able to get there," he said.
A legislative budget document said the Department of Transportation has estimated first-year implementation costs at $56 million, but Mendez said the cost may be higher. Lawmakers are now starting work on the state budget for the fiscal year that encompasses the May 11, 2008, implementation deadline.
A national survey conducted last year by the National Conference of State Legislatures and other organizations estimated it would cost $11 billion to implement the law.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/38407.php

Sounds like a good problem to have, at least we are enforcing our laws.

Originally Posted by Neese

Sounds like a good problem to have, at least we are enforcing our laws.

I refuse to take a "Voluntary" Police State Id with biometrics that will be put in a database and shaered with Mexico and Canada.

Yep JP, I'm with you.

Originally Posted by mapwife

The federal Real ID Act, a homeland security law enacted in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, imposes a May 11, 2008, deadline for states to adopt common, more stringent security features for driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards.But the federal government is still working on rules to spell out what's required, state Transportation Director Victor Mendez said Thursday.
"The tight time frame doesn't really work, especially if there's a technology being required that we don't know what it is yet," he said.
Mendez said possible impacts include a requirement that drivers with multiyear licenses have to renew them more often - something that would increase foot traffic in Motor Vehicle Division offices.

"

I am happy that they are thinking of ways to improve the id system. The fraud in our country is escalating and will only get worse. They have not made a final decision yet.

Originally Posted by Neese

Originally Posted by mapwife

The federal Real ID Act, a homeland security law enacted in 2005 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, imposes a May 11, 2008, deadline for states to adopt common, more stringent security features for driver's licenses and non-driver identification cards.But the federal government is still working on rules to spell out what's required, state Transportation Director Victor Mendez said Thursday.
"The tight time frame doesn't really work, especially if there's a technology being required that we don't know what it is yet," he said.
Mendez said possible impacts include a requirement that drivers with multiyear licenses have to renew them more often - something that would increase foot traffic in Motor Vehicle Division offices.

"

I am happy that they are thinking of ways to improve the id system. The fraud in our country is escalating and will only get worse. They have not made a final decision yet.

They have made their final decision, they just havent announced it to the public and may not do so until after the Real Id is in Place.

I did not hear that. Where did you get your information from?

Originally Posted by Neese

I did not hear that. Where did you get your information from?

http://news.com.com/FAQ+How+Real+ID+wil ... 97111.html
[qoute]The Real ID Act says federally accepted ID cards must be "machine readable," and lets Homeland Security determine the details. That could end up being a magnetic strip, enhanced bar code, or radio frequency identification (RFID) chips.

In the past, Homeland Security has indicated it likes the concept of RFID chips. The State Department is already going to be embedding RFID devices in passports, and Homeland Security wants to issue RFID-outfitted IDs to foreign visitors who enter the country at the Mexican and Canadian borders. The agency plans to start a yearlong test of the technology in July at checkpoints in Arizona, New York and Washington state.[/qoute]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/08/12/ramas ... index.html
[qoute]Privacy violations risks

It's that "machine-readable technology" requirement, along with the possibility of Homeland Security add-ons, that raises the most serious risk that the Real ID Act will cause privacy violations. (The fact that the technology must be "common" also raises the already-high risk of identity theft.)

Many commentators predict that radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will be placed in our licenses. (Other alternatives include a magnetic strip or enhanced bar code). In the past, the Department of Homeland Security has indicated it likes the concept of RFID chips.

RFID tags emit radio frequency signals. Significantly, those signals would allow the government to track the movement of our cards and us.

Private businesses may be able to use remote scanners to read RFID tags too, and add to the digital dossiers they may already be compiling. If different merchants combine their data -- you can imagine the sorts of profiles that will develop. And unlike with a grocery store checkout, we may have no idea the scan is even occurring; no telltale beep will alert us.

The State Department -- which is going to be use RFID devices in our passports -- is including some safeguards, but the Real ID Act requires none. At a minimum, the Real ID Act ought to be amended to ensure that -- as will be the case with passports -- national IDs have covers that will prevent them from being scanned when closed, and that the data inside will be encrypted so that it cannot be read until, and unless, it has been swiped and activated through a reader.[/qoute]


http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washi ... ard_rules/

But after a week of conference negotiations, Republicans from both chambers reached a compromise that leaves most of the bill intact. Among the notable changes, the House backed away from its demand that every state submit its driver information into a single national database that would be shared with Mexico and Canada.

If you need more sources. Please let me know. Enjoy your new "Voluntary" National ID Card.

If I as a tax paying citizen do not “Voluntarily” accept this Id:
I cannot open a bank account.
I cannot fly on a plane.
I cannot go to a federal building.
I cannot collect Social Security.
I cannot get a job.
I cannot get auto insurance.

And here is anther kicker:
I cannot opt out of paying taxes or Social Security under this act if I don’t take the ID. Why should I have to pay SS if I don’t take the ID, Why should I have to pay Federal Taxes if I cant enjoy the services or buildings that my dollars have helped pay for?

Why must this information be shared with Mexico and Canada?

This ID is one of the steps to the NAU and the FTAA, it will be your North American Passport or your North American ID.


Do you honestly think that illegals wont drive without a license? Of course they will and there will be many more uninsured, unlicensed motorists on the road as a result of this new id.

Thanks for the information JP. I am relatively new to this topic and am trying to learn all that I can. It is nice to have people willing to share their thoughts, because you give me insight on things that I would not have thought about otherwise. I do believe that you are right about illegals not having or needing a card. It is almost like our guns laws, where only the honest people register them. It sounds like a no win situation, doesn't it? What I don't get, is, if we have a NAU, will the goverments remain in place, as it is, or would it be merged somehow? Makes me wonder how they think that this could possibly work, we are having difficulty with things now. Adding more people to the mix will only make it worse.

If you accept this biometric ID crap, you might as well head to the nearest tattoo parlor to get all 3 sixes tatooed on your forhead.