The pricetag increases to: $11 billion over five years!

In June 2005, I wrote that Congressman Sensenbrenner thought Real ID would cost each state about $2 million to implement. At that time, some states were complaining his estimate was way low, with maybe $20 million required per state (and that's not federal money!). Now, analysts have surveyed 47 of the states' Motor vehicle administrations, and then new estinate seems to be $11 billion over five years to implement Real ID. And the federal government still isn't paying. Our states will be reaching for this money somehow, and getting very little value out of it. Here's my source: Eric Kelderman, a writer for Stateline.org, and his article is here. Some quotes:

State officials are asking the federal government for more time and money to comply with the 2005 Real ID act, which was passed to keep driver’s licenses out of the hands of terrorists and to make it tougher for illegal immigrants to get state-issued IDs. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has yet to issue specific guidelines for the law.

States have objected to the law for several reasons, but mostly because it may require all license holders to make an in-person visit to get the new identification within five years of the 2008 deadline. Currently, states offer a number of alternatives for renewing licenses -- such as through the mail or Internet -- which take less time and state personnel to process.

Legislatures in Kentucky, New Hampshire and Washington state already have considered bills to reject the Real ID mandates, and several more could follow that path if the rules are not modified, said Matt Sundeen, a transportation specialist with NCSL.