Thread: Support H.R.220 - Common Sense About Identity Theft & RE

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.

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages ... geId=3.2.1

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."

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... d0618.html

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 consequencesâ€

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

http://www.star-telegram.com/travel/story/714015.html

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 hubâ€

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.

slohman@post-dispatch.com 202-298-6880

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/s ... enDocument

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.

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.

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

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx ... 929&SMap=1

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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[b]The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators received a no-bid contract worth millions of dollars to implement a “verification hubâ€

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.

http://www.stjoenews.net/news/2008/jun/ ... yes-guest/