tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-128215662011-04-21T23:44:24.208-04:00A clearinghouse of stories about how the states will be required to spend $250 million to create standardized, machine-readable driver's licenses, to make it easier for hackers, thieves and credit bureaus to track your every move.The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.comBlogger1721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-56043562259117697292007-01-26T11:34:00.000-05:002007-01-26T11:36:56.355-05:00

HEre's the happey C|Net news story. Maine rejects the Real ID Act. Maine overwhelmingly rejected federal requirements for national identification cards on Thursday, marking the first formal state opposition to controversial legislation scheduled to go in effect for Americans next year. Both chambers of the Maine legislature approved a resolution saying the state flatly "refuses" to force its

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-77269611666835494242007-01-22T16:45:00.000-05:002007-01-22T16:48:07.189-05:00

The New York Times must have really enjoyed putting together their article on High Definition movies in the porn industry today. The article features pictures of (fully clothed) stars, and goes into a bit of detail in explaining how HD has been a tribulation for the industry.While some in this industry think that high def is exactly what porn customers want, others worry that high def is getting

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-67590736664590606282007-01-21T11:18:00.000-05:002007-01-21T11:23:54.911-05:00

I love this Vermont story, because it has a great quote, and it rqaises one of my favorite issues. VErmont is looking at spending millions to implement Real ID. Here's the A.P. story, at the boston.com website (for The Boston Globe). Here's the lovely quote:Lawmakers questioned the value of the program, which is aimed at reducing terrorism."I don't think it is accomplishing anything," said Sen.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-16290950428336967082007-01-21T11:10:00.000-05:002007-01-21T11:18:11.992-05:00

The Tide may be Turning for Real ID. Criticims keep mounting, and we no longer have a do-nothing congress. Here's one indicator of change, from the last election. New York's new governor, Elliot Spitzer, thinks it's a really bad idea to deny driver's licenses (and therefore insurance) to illegal immigrants. He's thinking about NOT requiring a valid Soc Sec number obtain a driver's license, at

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-32841701379874941062006-12-18T12:45:00.000-05:002006-12-18T12:48:38.344-05:00

A story by K. C. Jones for Information Week reports that two senators have threatened to repeal Real ID unless changes are made. Of course the story reports this:[Senator] Akaka echoed complaints from hundreds of groups -- including the National Rifle Association, the American Civil Liberties Union, and associations representing state lawmakers -- in criticizing the legislation. He noted that the

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-74419885258090251412006-12-18T12:37:00.000-05:002006-12-18T12:43:04.240-05:00

That's Georgia ReBELS, accent on the last syllable. Their lawmakers are really upset about Real ID, according to this story. Here's a key quote:State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) says the act's requirements are an invasion of privacy, could open the door to identity fraud and will cost Georgia taxpayers as much as $85 million to implement.What identity inof would be available to fraudsters

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-36474853294874507252006-12-18T12:29:00.000-05:002006-12-18T12:35:40.673-05:00

The European Union will adopt uniform driver's and motorcyclist licenses. There will be a common data base of shared information. Is the EU falling into the Real ID trap? I think not, the differences are refreshing.First, the obvious goal is safer driving. A goal of the common data base is to keep people who lose their licenses for drunk driving from getting another valid license in yet another

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-72857365807592860302006-12-15T11:24:00.000-05:002006-12-15T11:32:37.676-05:00

Anne Broache reports on an interview or a talk with Michael Chertoff (the DHS chief) here, for CNET news.com. From the article:The importance of such documents was magnified by an announcement Wednesday, Chertoff said. Federal authorities reported that they had made more than 1,200 arrests related to immigration violations and unmasked criminal organizations stealing and trafficking in genuine

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-57770058198693097912006-12-12T21:13:00.000-05:002006-12-12T21:26:23.081-05:00

The National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures have issued a statement about real ID. Apparently they're afraid to say that they really, really don't like it, so they want to say somehow or other that it's pretty good. But they can't stand it in its current form."NGA and NCSL remain eager to work with Congress and the Administration to ease the impact of

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-36742628813730079002006-12-06T14:19:00.000-05:002006-12-06T14:23:07.045-05:00

RFID is a side issue for Real ID, and I've been ignoring it. But here's an interesting article from "Citizens Against Government Waste" (CAGW). They feel that Real ID cards should not have an RFID chip. Some quotes:"RFID may be good for tracking produce, but is an expensive, intrusive way to track people," said CAGW President Tom Schatz. "We strongly urge the Privacy Advisory Committee to adopt

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1165258331573891862006-12-04T13:44:00.000-05:002006-12-04T13:52:11.786-05:00

Dan Farber and Larry Dignan, at ZDNET Blogs, have another perspective on Real ID. (I must say, we have covered this point before, but only briefly.) They say that "The more valuable having an identity credential is, the more likely it is to be counterfeited. Consequently, the more money you have to spend to protect it." They mention a case of a DHS official convicted of taking bribes to fake

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1163431824618256022006-11-13T10:27:00.000-05:002006-11-13T10:30:24.643-05:00

A fine opinion piece in the South Bend Tribune describes how painful real ID will be for Indiana, and asks, is this really necessary? I'm going to quote the entire piece below, and I'll be happy to take it down if requested:There is cause for concern over the federal Real ID Act and its May 2008 deadline for compliance. We, for example, are worried about how the act will affect Indiana. This is

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1163429549391921742006-11-13T09:47:00.000-05:002006-11-13T09:55:30.180-05:00

These days, many newspaper articles lead with a teaser and gradually get around to the revelation. I prefer "pyramid-style", which used to be the norm in reparting: you start with what's most important and gradually drift to minutiae. The great values of this style are:You find out right away what each story's about.You can read as much as you like, quit when the detail seems not worth the

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1161616700694327072006-10-23T11:09:00.000-04:002006-10-23T11:18:20.786-04:00

Warning, we're going to get a bit technical here: I learned from an article at GCN Home, by Wilson P. Dizard III, that a trucker data base has been suggested as a model for Real ID. The problem people want to solve here is that checking everyone's documents in 50 states all the time, to satisfy Real ID security requirements, will hopelessly overload access to federal data bases. If so, you may

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1161615530315811582006-10-23T10:53:00.000-04:002006-10-23T10:58:50.370-04:00

The DHS says it will issue "draft" specs for Real ID by year end. Jonathan Frenkel, director of law enforcement policy at DHS, says the draft regulations will better explain the broad mandates in the Real ID Act of 2005. The specs have been long coming because the DHS wanted to "get them right the first time." (It's quite hard to get something right the first time, but by now the DHS coud have

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1161116939363184602006-10-17T16:24:00.000-04:002006-10-17T16:28:59.433-04:00

In PC World, Anuch Yegyazarian reviews the state of Real ID, its technical problemsand prospects. The article, Ral IDs real problems, is clear and farily detailed. Some quotes:Without knowing which technology to use, states can't even begin soliciting bids from firms to produce the cards. They can't finalize deals. They can't get delivery of product, install the new equipment, train their workers

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1160414418764782482006-10-09T13:14:00.000-04:002006-10-09T13:20:18.766-04:00

An article in the Brownsville Herald (Texas) by Elizabeth Pierson quotes a spokesperson thus: "[It will] cost the state an estimated $268 million. The money will go toward paying for technology and hiring more than 700 employees to handle the increased traffic."There's an estimate that an additional three million people (almost double the current number) will need licenses; Texas will no longer

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1160413969954247172006-10-09T13:10:00.000-04:002006-10-09T13:12:49.970-04:00

An unsigned opinion piece in TheLedger.com (mid-Florida) speaks eloquently to the impracticality of implementing Real ID in 2008. The piece ends:State officials aren't necessarily opposed to carrying Congress' water and establishing a reliable ID system in the name of national security. What the states would like is more financial help from Congress and a little more time to meet the mandates. "

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1159537509209741372006-09-29T09:33:00.000-04:002006-09-29T09:45:09.236-04:00

"Deep-six Real ID" is the title of an (unsigned) opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun online that goes right to the point:A better idea would be to junk the so-called Real ID plan altogether. Verifying citizenship should not be a state responsibility. The local departments of motor vehicles have been put in the impossible position of authenticating birth certificates and passports and immigration

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1159217059294545742006-09-25T16:38:00.000-04:002006-09-25T16:44:19.406-04:00

In August, "Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff called on state legislators Thursday to embrace new federal driver's license requirements to strengthen security, but state lawmakers later demanded that Congress either fund the program or drop it." So says ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press Writer, in a FoxNews article. Chertoff tried to persuade the governors of the importance of this

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1159215500581959052006-09-25T16:12:00.000-04:002006-09-25T16:18:20.613-04:00

One aspect of Real ID that will magnify the cost of drivers licenses is that many non-drivers will need them. Toddlers will need them to fly, for example. But even people who never fly, never drive and never go to federal court (and I'm including a LOT of inner city grownup residents here) will need to get Real ID licenses if another dumb law passes. The idea here is to require all VOTERS to show

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1159214935260828692006-09-25T16:03:00.000-04:002006-09-25T16:09:15.043-04:00

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

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1158506880179060122006-09-17T11:16:00.000-04:002006-09-17T11:31:18.983-04:00

A security expert, Phil Windley, said something positive about Real ID (in an interview Podcast) that, I'm afraid, makes good sense. He says that in the long run, if left to themselves, states will develop something like real ID. For example, the states are working hard now to standardize their criminal and offense data because sharing it is critical in catching criminals. Similarly, they will

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1155491306504672132006-08-13T13:42:00.000-04:002006-08-13T13:48:26.520-04:00

New Hampshire and Kentucky are each receiving $3,000,000 from the DHS to implelemnt "pilot" Real ID projects. We'll definitely want to se where this money goes, and how well it covers implementation of real ID. I believe the DHS has still not properly defined what Real ID is, so it will also be interesting to see how much of this money can be spent soon.NH is an interesting choice, as this state

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1154525216724784842006-08-02T09:21:00.000-04:002006-08-02T09:26:56.750-04:00

Bruce Schneier, in his weblogs and books, is eloquent and clear on this subject: all security procedures are a tradeoff of cost against value. No procedures are perfect, and we have a finite amount of money to spend on security. It's unfortunate that security laws and materials are usually adopted on emotional grounds, or because they clearly look useful, without any consideration of balancing

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1154362742352058322006-07-31T12:12:00.000-04:002006-07-31T12:19:02.366-04:00

Suppose you're a state motor vehicle agency. According to Real ID, you have to check people's social security numbers to renew a drivers license. You already need to check whether each person has points or revocations in other state databases. You might use the AAMVAnet network to make all these accesses. AAMVAnet will get perhaps ten or a hundred times its current traffic when all fifty states

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153864031444001802006-07-25T17:43:00.000-04:002006-09-25T16:09:36.820-04:00

I'm finding more news stories about other states, such as Montana and Virginia. Each story plays similar tunes: extra cost; Real ID not defined, don't know what to do; unfunded mandate; hire more motor vehicle bureau employees ... I'm going to stop posting similar stories for now.It's safe to say that the problems with Real ID are becoming obvious. Why doesn't any congress person have the guts to

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153860890652551182006-07-25T16:51:00.000-04:002006-07-25T16:54:50.676-04:00

On July 4, I blogged about how passports are in the same fix as Real ID, with a law requiring changes that haven't been specified by the DHS. The passport deadline is a lot sooner, in 2007. Well according to this article by Faith Bremner in the Detroit Free Press:Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., inserted a provision into the 2007 Homeland Security spending bill that would postpone the requirement until

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153858433988410972006-07-25T16:07:00.000-04:002006-07-25T16:13:53.990-04:00

Valerie Miller writes along familiar lines in the Nevada Business Press. HEre story makes two amazing points that I'd like to emphasize:There's no way for a state to apply for the paltry $40 million that the Real ID law's supposed to give them, to implement it.The TSA is making no plans to force people to show Real ID licenses (and validate them) when we fly. There's no coordination here!Some

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153857995623818262006-07-25T16:02:00.001-04:002006-07-25T16:06:35.626-04:00

Lisa Sandberg wrote an article at MySa.com with a Texan take on real ID: Sen. Leticia Van De Putte, D-San Antonio, said Texans could see license fees jump to more than $100, from the $24 they now pay, when the federal government begins requiring states to issue uniform drivers' licenses — what many consider a de-facto national ID card.The change also would eliminate the convenience of online and

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153857639670677822006-07-25T15:57:00.000-04:002006-07-25T16:00:39.693-04:00

An article by Rena Delbridge in the online StarTribune.net bemoans what Wyoming faces in the Real Id law: Wyoming redesigned its licenses just two years ago, O’Connor said, and although Cowboy State licenses are one of the most difficult to reproduce illegally, they’ll no longer be adequate under the Real ID rules.Along with a new design, the licenses will be much more difficult to obtain or

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153843043010218732006-07-25T11:52:00.000-04:002006-07-25T11:57:56.173-04:00

The authors of the Real ID law seem to truly hate terrorists and foreigners. The difficulties that this law raises for them could keep many of them out of the USA in the future, and we may become less of a cosmopolitan nation as a result. One of the side issues of the Real ID law is that it forbids keeping foreign refuges who have offered "material support" to terrorists. Unfortunately this vague

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153840144575130982006-07-25T11:03:00.000-04:002006-07-25T11:09:04.576-04:00

Alabama is trying to become Real-ID-ready as fast as possible, which means that they now check people's Id as carefully sa they think the Real ID law will require. An article by Tiffeny Hurtado in the Decatur Daily discusses the pain foreign residents experience as they line up from 5:30 a.m. for a license. ... Athens and Hartselle have problems because of Real I.D. In Athens, people have arrived

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1153839593042186782006-07-25T10:46:00.000-04:002006-07-25T11:01:15.690-04:00

Linda Gledhill writes, in an online San Francisco Chronicle piece:(07-24) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -- Starting in 2008, all 22 million licensed California drivers will be required to go in person to a DMV office and prove their identity and address with three different documents before getting a new, federally approved state license. The sheer size and scope of that task -- required by a

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1152024782677782412006-07-04T10:49:00.000-04:002006-07-04T10:53:02.676-04:00

California's Governor S. apparently made a few last moment changes in a budget bill. One change was NOT to move $10 million into an air quality effort, because the $10 million would have been moved FROM the motor vehicles department's budget to implement Real ID. They're probably going to need that money ...Read the story here , in a June 30, 2006 Capital Notes story.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1152024551366127882006-07-04T10:35:00.000-04:002006-07-04T10:49:11.403-04:00

A serious problem for Real ID is that, over a year after the law was passed, the format of drivers licenses is signifigantly undefined. The DHS is empowered to add requirements, and must clarify many vague terms in the law. Until the DHS speaks, no state can really develop the computer systems necessary to support Real ID licenses.Well - incredibly - many passports are in the same fix! A 2004 law

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1151863821308774252006-07-02T14:06:00.000-04:002006-07-02T14:10:21.310-04:00

Apparently Michigan has started upgrading their very old and out of date computer systems to handle drivers licenses better, but now they are stuck, not knowing how much the Real ID specs - that have not been finalized nor formalized yet - will cause them to redo their computer changes.John Pulley wrote about this story at Fcw.com. Here's a long quote from an excellent story:Takai, Michigan’s

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1151863206511183472006-07-02T13:56:00.000-04:002006-07-02T14:06:19.580-04:00

A California reporter discusses concerns that the Federal government with use the Real ID driver data bases for unwarranted surveillance. Here are some quotes from Mike Gardner's June 25, 2006 column in SignOn San Diego:“Once we start telling Californians that they have to march to DMV, show proof of birth and proof of residency, all hell will break loose,” said state Senate President Pro Tempore

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1149434403743007142006-06-04T11:15:00.000-04:002006-06-04T11:20:03.743-04:00

Let's imagine a world in which real ID cards are required for the majority of the poplulation, in order to have any dealings with the government. And for the moment let's assume that states refuse to lose money on them. Real ID cards will cost about $150 to get or to renew.A lot of people will simply not be able to afford Real ID cards, and yet must have dealings eith the federal government. The

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1149434103535826462006-06-04T11:09:00.000-04:002006-06-04T11:15:03.536-04:00

The same article I quoted just previously raises, apparently, an important constitutional issue in the Real ID law. Apparently Real ID cards will be required for federal "official purposes," but that term is undefined in the law. The term could be interpreted to mean that you can not vote in a federal election without a Real ID card. (Such an interpretation would probably be unconstitutional, as

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1149433735534504522006-06-04T11:00:00.000-04:002006-06-04T11:08:55.546-04:00

A web article at ContactLess News discusses awareness of the wait for the DHS to properly define Real ID so that it can be implmented. (With obvious hindsight, congress should NEVER have passed this law without requiring DHS to add its specification to the law first.) The writer, Andy Williams, says:The act gave states until May 11, 2008 to comply. But comply with what? A year has passed since

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1149111790169570562006-05-31T17:36:00.000-04:002006-05-31T17:45:31.526-04:00

A story in Detroit's MetroTimes (by Ben LeFebvre) adds to my previous post; I'm not the only one aware of the DHS not finalizing Real ID. Here are a few long quotes from this article, which is right on:"Unfortunately, we are in a bit of a holding pattern, awaiting instructions from the Department of Homeland Security," says Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of State.Meanwhile

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1148419876670489422006-05-23T17:21:00.000-04:002006-05-23T17:31:16.686-04:00

I've often complained here that it is not possible for the states to develop their Real ID licenses, as required by law, until the DHS gets through specifying them. There's simply no guessing what small change the DHS might require that would force a lot of software to be rewritten and hardware to be modified or repurchased.If you think it's "obvious" what should be on a drivers license, check

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1147809832222255142006-05-16T15:58:00.000-04:002006-05-16T16:03:52.240-04:00

A story in Bangor Daily News quotes Secretary of State Matt Dunlap:"I don't see how we could possibly meet all its requirements. I don't see how any state could meet all the requirements by the deadline." ... "It is a huge, unfunded federal mandate," he said, "and it is totally unrealistic in its timelines."Maine recently spent $14 million to computerize and speed up the licensing process, and is

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1147046831609715132006-05-07T20:04:00.000-04:002006-05-07T20:07:11.610-04:00

An article in the free Internet Press has more quotes from a National Governors Association meeting:Concerns are so great that last week, the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators issued a report saying that the states have not been given the time or money to comply with the law and that they need

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1147046604603110922006-05-07T19:57:00.000-04:002006-05-07T20:03:24.616-04:00

Resistance is building against the real ID act. I'm sure this has a lot to do with the fact that May 2008 is closer than it used to be, and the act is still not finished (no specs from the DHS after a year of waiting). Here are some comments from the online version of Jurist (Pitttsburgh PA Univ law school), article by Jamie Sterling:State lawmakers have expressed concern about possible problems

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1145976620589029862006-04-25T10:36:00.000-04:002006-04-25T10:50:20.603-04:00

Declan McCullagh is CNET News.com's chief political correspondent. He has gained fame on the net for his discussions of many aspects of the law that interest web citizens, Intellectual Property and Media people. He has a FAQ on Real ID. His FAQ is - I would say - rather evenhanded. Here's where it gets interesting:Is this a national ID card?It depends on whom you ask. Barry Steinhardt, director

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1145923046427431902006-04-24T19:56:00.000-04:002006-04-24T19:57:26.426-04:00

A nice column by Justine Nicholas at www.LewRockwell.com sums up the current Real ID controversy, noting the strange bedfellows forming for and against it, and making a few other interesting points. She quotes an opponent saying "You need ID to get ID. And no ID means no work." And she notes that New Jersey may actually have a more secure system for requiring ID than the federal Real ID system (

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1145894069474014802006-04-24T11:37:00.001-04:002006-04-24T11:54:29.503-04:00

A nice column by Justine Nicholas at www.LewRockwell.com sums up the current Real ID controversy, noting the strange bedfellows forming for and against it, and making a few other interesting points. She quotes an opponent saying "You need ID to get ID. And no ID means no work." And she notes that New Jersey may actually have a more secure system for requiring ID than the federal real ID system (

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1145235661550484842006-04-16T20:44:00.000-04:002006-04-16T21:01:01.566-04:00

You probably remember that the real ID law is not complete. The law requires the DHS to specify additional requirements that every state must meet. A news story at Security Document World lists recommendations that an organization called the Document Security Alliance (DSA) has made to the DHS. (No telling whether the DHS is listening, of course.) The DSA "is made up of approximately 70 industry

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1144159516246467552006-04-04T09:59:00.000-04:002006-04-04T10:05:16.276-04:00

Britain apparently is setting up a national ID including biometric ID. First will come the national register (data base) and then the plastic cards. Here's an angry article claiming (among other things) that the rate of people turning age 16 will exceed the rate of people who can be biometrically ID'd in a year. (In other words, the registry will never be complete.)Keep an eye on the british

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1143577081794820652006-03-28T15:16:00.000-05:002006-03-28T15:18:01.796-05:00

This New Jersey story is about an 81 year old man who was born at home - like many others his age. He lacks a passport and a birth certificate, and is unlikely to get a driver's license in New Jersey. (And maybe he's too old to drive, as well.) Here's the story.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1143576831041913092006-03-28T15:10:00.000-05:002006-03-28T15:13:51.056-05:00

North Dakota's Department of Transportation is trying to persuade federal officials to allow use of the Real ID, which is scheduled to be implemented in all states by May 1, 2008, in travel to and from Canada and Mexico. I've argued before that there's a lot of overlap in these two documents, and we really do not need both. Here's the HeraldToday story. Here's a choice quote:"If we go through all

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1142993718374277762006-03-21T21:11:00.000-05:002006-03-21T21:15:18.390-05:00

Bill Catorini has been driving without a license since January because of a Real ID problem that may affect many people. He lied about his age to get his first job, and now the birth date on his birth certificate does not match what SocSec has for him. In Illinois that menas he can't get a license until he makes SocSec fix the problem, apparently not so easy to do.And all because Illinois is

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1142783697460799162006-03-19T10:52:00.000-05:002006-03-19T10:55:19.583-05:00

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (Wisconsin) is in his sixth year as chairman, which must be his last. He's proud of bringing us the real ID legislation (by squeezing it into a bill to provide needed fnds in Iraq). It will be interesting to see whether his departure affects the status of Real ID.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1142546672125459172006-03-16T17:01:00.000-05:002006-03-16T17:04:32.150-05:00

This new state law in New Hampshire seems to require the state not to cooperate with Real ID. Speaking frankly, the law's text calls Real ID a "National Identification System." The Meat and Potatoes of this law is very brief, so I will quote it here in full:Prohibition Against Participation in National Identification System. The general court finds that the public policy established by Congress

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1142435320976389322006-03-15T10:03:00.000-05:002006-03-15T10:08:41.016-05:00

North Dakota joins a number of states that have discovered Real ID will be painfully expensive and inconvenient. An AP Article in the Grand Forks Herald by Dale Wetzel says that "David Sprynczynatyk told the Legislature's interim Transportation Committee on Tuesday that he will seek federal aid to help defray the cost of complying with the "Real ID" law, which takes effect in 2008." And "

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1141955047435955592006-03-09T20:09:00.000-05:002006-03-09T20:44:07.606-05:00

A story in the Auburn Plainsman reports problems that could either go away or get much, much, worse. Our concern today is that EVERY license issued in EVERY state will involve one or more operations on centralized federal data bases." These databases must also be contacted whenever a new license is issued. But these databases are overloaded and frequently shut down, sometimes for up to two hours

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1141073239968846382006-02-27T15:39:00.000-05:002006-02-27T15:47:19.993-05:00

I've been reading Real ID posts about DigiMarc for awhile now, and here's another sample. A number of states are apparently contracting with them, NOW, to build Real ID-compatible systems in the (near and appropriate) future. Digimarc has some specific reasons to win these contracts, but that's not important (to me) now. I'm fascinated by the possible scenarios that may unfold specifically

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1141003415211919452006-02-26T20:14:00.000-05:002006-02-26T20:23:35.253-05:00

William T. Pound has published an interesting column in the Kansas City infoZine. In it, he raises many of the customary and sensible criticisms of Real ID, but from a slightly different perspective: States have mined their own vast experience to design the licenses that are appropriate for each of them, and now here come some feds to throw out all of that and substitute some quicky "one fits all

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1140795371930646302006-02-24T10:29:00.000-05:002006-02-24T10:36:27.956-05:00

The Fort Frances Times Online has a gushing story about how wonderful Real ID is, and the desire of one businessman to make Vermont the model state that implements real ID first - never mind the cost - to show how wonderful it is.For me the interesting part is a request this guy made to the author of Real ID (Rep, Sensenbrenner) that was well-received: Driver's licenses ought to show the place of

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1140477845148321402006-02-20T18:18:00.000-05:002006-02-20T18:24:06.770-05:00

A story at latimes.com has some of the harshest words for Real ID that I've seen:Officials in California say that meeting federal requirements could cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars, and that it could also increase identity theft and lead to invasions of privacy. The act is "a man-made disaster," said state Senate leader Don Perata (D-Oakland).The state Senate will hold hearings

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1140310764897262492006-02-18T19:53:00.000-05:002006-02-18T19:59:24.910-05:00

A lawsuit in Maryland may have the effect of causing part of Real ID to take effect now, or at least, to override - immediately - any state law that it intends to override in 2008.What's at stake is the question of drivers licenses for illegal aliens. I'm referring to a short and somewhat confusing story that seems to suggest this: That since Real ID will replace state law regarding whether

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1139873426555159802006-02-13T18:28:00.000-05:002006-02-13T18:30:26.580-05:00

You can read, in this Mount Vernon News story, that Ohio feels ready to make relatively minor changes to comply with Real ID. And they are aware of the potential privacy intrusion and fraudulent document issues. Sounds reasonable. Let's see what they say when the DHS adds their requirements...

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1139764663814022432006-02-12T12:12:00.000-05:002006-02-12T12:19:38.366-05:00

Alabama made a heroic effort to replace their old way of handling driver's licenses with something that meets the known requirements for Real ID. Quoting from an AP story in the Times Daily: the result, currently, is" ... long lines and long waits for driver licenses. State officials blame a combination of computer problems for the delays.Computer slowdowns have shown up both in the statewide

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1139175672515134612006-02-05T16:34:00.000-05:002006-02-05T16:41:12.563-05:00

The National Institute for Whatever has defined standards for Federal ID cards, "Personal Identity Verification cards" for all federal employees and contractors. These cards will have biometric ID in the form of two fingerprints. The standard also defines how to add face prints. I don't suppose real ID cards will be required to follow this standard. Why have ANY of the passport, federal ID and

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1138288418380178322006-01-26T10:08:00.000-05:002006-01-26T10:13:38.380-05:00

PrideSource has an interesing article about Real ID, but one aspect really caught my eye. In Michigan. the ACLU obtained documents indicating that"Michigan state officials are concerned that federal legislation called the Real ID Act will require extensive changes to existing practices at the Secretary of State's Office. Concerns include the difficulty of implementation by the Act's deadline and

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1138287957373563872006-01-26T10:00:00.000-05:002006-01-26T10:05:57.373-05:00

People who change their gender generally change their name, but do not get to change their birth certificate. They may be ineligible for Real ID licenses, which require the driver's license name and the B.C. name to be identical.Perhaps you're not sympathetic to these people. Well ...First this law came after the illegal immigrants.Then this laaw came after the transgenderists.When they come

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1138286319309661982006-01-26T09:34:00.000-05:002006-01-26T09:38:39.310-05:00

I recommend RealNightmare, a great web site that coordinates information about Real ID. They have links to what's happening in most states, state by state, see their site map. On the main page, their "at a galnce" statement says:The Real ID Act of 2005 would turn our state driver’s licenses into a genuine national identity card and impose numerous new burdens on taxpayers, citizens, immigrants,

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137457397154070112006-01-16T19:18:00.000-05:002006-01-16T19:23:17.220-05:00

"Real ID legislation needs a reality check" is the title of an article in The Roanoke Times. Here's how it begins:States say meeting the new identification requirements will be an expensive nightmare. Congress should listen to those concerns.The article relies upon a Virgina task force:A Virginia task force led by Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner D.B. Smit issued a report calling on

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137298178584041252006-01-14T23:03:00.000-05:002006-01-14T23:09:38.586-05:00

Here's an AP article that lists very difficult challenges in building the Real ID system:States will have to consult multiple databases to check the accuracy of documents, and figure ou how to retain them for at least seven years."States will have to network their records systems and tap into national databases in order to share driving histories, track duplicate or fraudulent applications and

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137297602159740942006-01-14T22:58:00.000-05:002006-01-14T23:00:02.160-05:00

A ACLU article includes this little gem:Many requirements that a layman might think are simple are considered quite complicated and expensive by the experts. For example, of those states that don’t already require the use of a full legal name on licenses, 70 percent reported that it would require “major reprogramming, training, legislation/major costs.”I've published this entry with the intent

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137297290433170392006-01-14T22:49:00.000-05:002006-01-14T22:54:50.436-05:00

A story by Ryan Paul at Ars Technica, a computer-techy PC-oriened website, takes an informed and negative view of Real ID:Condemned as a wasteful and self-defeating piece of reactionary legislation, critics argue that the Real ID Act will make it easier for criminals to perpetrate identity theft while actively degrading national security rather than improving it. The burden of implementation has

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137296873782666312006-01-14T22:45:00.000-05:002006-01-14T22:47:53.783-05:00

Reality sinks in at Ohio:By 2008, however, short lines and no-hassle service may seem as quaint as government buildings without metal detectors or as hard to find as curbside parking at airports.New federal homeland-security requirements are virtually certain to eliminate same-day driver’s licensing in Ohio and could increase wait times and the cost of getting or renewing a license.The Ohio

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1137296650326894942006-01-14T22:37:00.000-05:002006-01-14T22:44:49.613-05:00

A Vermont story in Times Argus by Louis Porter reports that the potential cost of real ID is sinking in.A survey of motor vehicle officials nationwide about the Real ID Act found that the law could cost millions and hamper states' licensing efforts. The same could be true in Vermont, said Howard Deal, the state DMV's deputy commissioner. "It's not unique to Vermont," he said. "It is a nationwide

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1136924471607690112006-01-10T15:16:00.000-05:002006-01-10T15:21:11.626-05:00

The Electronic Privacy Information Center is an excellent resource for many privacy issues. Here's their page on Real ID. (I'm sorry to say that they do not list this blog as a resource. Yet.)I've published this entry with the intent of bringing more useful information to all of you, and I've tried to choose my words carefully in order not to annoy or offend anyone. There, that ought to do it.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1136389042722829112006-01-04T10:34:00.000-05:002006-01-04T10:37:22.760-05:00

I'm seeing more news stories about "NCSL's 2006 Top Ten Legislative Issues Forecast", which includes Real ID in its list. this probably will be THE year in which the states decide whether to rebel against Real ID.It would really help if the Department of Home Security would finish defining Real ID, as required by the law. Then eveyone would have a moderately fixed target to rail against.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1136134298483162602006-01-01T11:49:00.000-05:002006-01-01T11:51:38.483-05:00

U.S. newswire, in an article listing "NCSL's 2006 Top Ten Legislative Issues Forecast", includes Real ID in its list. They point out that "Many states have not been in session since the passage of the federal Real ID Act, which aims to standardize driver's licenses and the process of administering them."Perhaps that helps to explain the lack of outcry about this unfunded mandate...

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1136133907505105362006-01-01T11:41:00.000-05:002006-01-01T11:45:07.523-05:00

A thoughtful committee, Virginia's Real ID Task Force, will soon be making recommendations to governor Warner about implementing Real ID. The committee is expected to ask for two more years, saying that the remaining time is too short for projects of such complexity. Quoting from a Potomoac News item by Daniel Gilbert:Pam Goheen, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, said

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1135278333783088482005-12-22T14:00:00.000-05:002005-12-22T14:05:33.796-05:00

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has delivered more than 5,200 petitions to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff, urging DHS not to require a computer chip in drivers’ licenses to comply with the Real ID Act. If you're interested in CAGW, you can contact: Jessica Shoemaker, 202-467-5318, or after hours: Tom Finnigan, 202-253-3852 both of Citizens Against

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1135188070040132762005-12-21T12:57:00.000-05:002005-12-21T13:15:04.476-05:00

One criticism of the Real ID legislation was that it exposed battered spouses to discovery. They might be hiding out, but the law required them to make their current address rather public, as it must be on the driver's license and in the state data base. This story is GOOD NEWS:In re-authorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), congress included an amendment to deal with this issue. I read

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1135114755555512802005-12-20T16:34:00.000-05:002005-12-20T16:39:15.580-05:00

At dailybulletin.com, staff writer Sara A. Carter writes about illegal immigration and interviews congressman Gary Miller. I'm giving you a long quote from this article, which separates the ideal of "government by Real ID" from the reality of accepting illegal aliens:Miller helped author the Real I.D. Act, which will create electronically readable, federally approved I.D. cards for Americans in

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1135113072892048312005-12-20T16:03:00.000-05:002005-12-20T16:11:12.916-05:00

Speaker Dennis Hastert, in a recent speech, claimed Real ID as part of "an extraordinary year of accomplishment for House Republicans." He put Real ID into the same class with:a comprehensive energy bill that will assure Americans energy securitya historic highway bill that will improve our nation's critical infrastructurea class action fairness bill that will eliminate frivolous lawsuitsand so

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1134502146899355112005-12-13T14:28:00.000-05:002005-12-13T14:29:06.913-05:00

Let's give Alabama credit. They are really trying to get to "Real ID" world ahead of schedule. In the New Courier, we read {Dec 3, 2005} that "On Monday, the Alabama Department of Public Safety, Drivers License Division will be installing a new digital laser license system in the License Commissioner’s Office in Limestone and Morgan counties.A new machine will also be placed in the State DP

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1134435196068032982005-12-12T19:48:00.000-05:002005-12-12T19:53:16.070-05:00

In Government Computer News (GCN.com), William Jackson nominates the 360 senators and congressmen who voted for the Real ID Act of 2005 (and our president!) for the "first Bonehead Award for Notable Failures in IT Security." He says thatThe Real ID Act, now a part of Public Law 109-13, may not be the worst piece of legislation passed during the year, but it certainly is a model for how not to do

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1134434614986041762005-12-12T19:38:00.000-05:002005-12-12T19:43:49.760-05:00

David Williams, in Human Events online, reports thatThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will soon make a decision that could threaten the pocketbook and privacy of every American. The agency is considering requiring all drivers’ licenses to be embedded with computer chips, which will be more costly and less secure than upgrading the existing technology for licenses. He writes that:DHS has

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1134012347951193302005-12-07T22:21:00.000-05:002005-12-07T22:25:47.953-05:00

$17.4 billion is an estimate for Real ID from CAGW (Citizens Against Governemnt Waste). OF COURSE such an organizaton would look at Real ID. Here's what they say: In October 2005, CAGW released Real ID: Big Brother Could Cost Big Money, which concluded that implementing RFID technology on a national scale could cost $17.4 billion and could push the cost of a drivers' license from $10 to $25 to

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1134011886404202142005-12-07T22:13:00.000-05:002005-12-07T22:18:06.406-05:00

Nancy Hicks' article in the Nebraska Lincoln Journal Star gets off to a great start:In the future, the state will have to make room for exact legal names on driver’s licenses — even names like Patricia Allision Steigleder-Vancleeflemaster or Francisco Delosangeles Buenrostro-Galvezvaldovinos.(LJS File)That means the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles will have to redesign the driver’s license

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1133827985420953072005-12-05T19:08:00.000-05:002005-12-06T21:52:08.730-05:00

The ACLU recently "took note" of the final report of the 9/11 Public Discourse Project. Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, said thatthe successor organization to the 9/11 Commission did not call for a further expansion of the Patriot Act. Congress is currently working to pass legislation to reauthorize provisions of that law that are scheduled to "sunset,"

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1133749460649756902005-12-04T21:21:00.000-05:002005-12-04T21:25:44.546-05:00

you can reaad in The Washington Times that it may take quite a while to figure out how to comply with realID. Quoting:The administrator of the state's Motor Vehicle Administration said yesterday that the agency will need months to figure out how to comply with the federal Real ID Act, recently passed to strengthen anti-terrorist efforts through new requirements for getting driver's licenses.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1132888704460937642005-11-24T22:14:00.000-05:002005-11-24T22:18:24.483-05:00

It's about time for us to read about how states prefer NOT to implement Real ID. The state governments have been keeping a low profile. Perhaps they're hoping the feds will pay for most of their work, so that they will not hve to pay to implement decent reforms. Perhaps they're afraid of soundng anti-war. STAND UP, you states! Really, you have nothing to lose, and quite a bit to gain.

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1131582218486968512005-11-09T19:06:00.000-05:002005-11-09T19:24:35.833-05:00

It's possible that the real reason for the Real ID act is the desire of people in our federal government to control illegal immigration. Real ID will certainly have a spectacular effect on illegal immigrants. They may be able to purchase illegal Real ID cards, because - as my readers know - the prospects for hacking Real ID and for inside crookedness is excellent. However there are an awful lot

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1131460854234832572005-11-08T09:35:00.000-05:002005-11-08T09:41:26.343-05:00

According to this release, North Dakota has hired a company called Viisage to redesign their drivers licenses, and ND plans to use the new licenses in 2006. An important quote:"We selected Viisage as it has the proven technology and solutions that will allow us to produce secure drivers' licenses and IDs for our citizens," commented Mr. Keith C. Magnusson, North Dakota Deputy Director for Driver

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1131460258385186802005-11-08T09:24:00.000-05:002005-11-08T09:31:17.126-05:00

Chad Vander Veen has written a relatively long, objective article about Real ID at GovTech called Papers Please. It's a good summary of what Real ID means to us and where it's going. I've been raising the concern that states can not know how to implement this law until the DHS finishes specifying what they want. Here's a quote that covers this concern very well:After May 11, 2008, federal

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1130447804236860862005-10-27T17:14:00.000-04:002005-10-27T17:16:46.310-04:00

I'm quoting from a Government Technology news story. Virginia's going to do some serious planning, but apparently the task force is not supposed to consider whether to get rid of Real ID altogether.Governor Mark R. Warner yesterday announced the creation of the Governor's Task Force on the Real ID Act. ...The Real ID Task Force will study how the new identification laws approved by Congress will

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1130420224980462172005-10-27T09:28:00.000-04:002005-10-27T09:37:05.796-04:00

How many US jobs depend on easy border crossings to and from Canada? This article estimates that 350,000 New York State jobs (and what about other states) would be at risk if pasports were required for all border crossings. A quote: "Almost 350,000 New York jobs are supported by U.S.-Canada trade," Tom Minnick, the Council's lobbyist specializing in transportation issues, said in testimony

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1130374889945635072005-10-26T20:57:00.000-04:002005-10-26T21:02:10.713-04:00

New JErsey now requires a lot of ID to get a license, and the print a pretty fancy license as well. It took me several hours, and two trips to get my licesnse renewed. Here's an article claiming (in an interview with a counterfeiter!) that these NJ licenses are un-fakeable.So let me ask the inevitable question:If they are so good, why aren't they good enough? Who need Real ID?Can't they still be

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1130374572947644882005-10-26T20:50:00.000-04:002005-10-26T20:56:12.960-04:00

I've been avoiding a side issue that I think is really not essential to evaluating Real ID, but I'll post about it this once. There have been several suggestions, including a government commission recommendation, to require Real ID licenses in order to vote. Senator Sam Daschle reasonably calls this idea a Poll Tax here. I hope our governments do not waste a lot of time on this idea, because

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1130373284849791032005-10-26T20:29:00.000-04:002005-10-26T20:34:44.863-04:00

An article at Channel 3 News (Vermont) discusses some problems and issues in requiring passports for all the young hockey players who frequently go to Canada for games. The article suggests that the new Rel ID drivers licenses should be fine instead. Here's the article.The article starts by quoting Bonnie Rutledge, who " is Vermont's motor vehicle commissioner. She also is a player on the

The Precision Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08478279273433877261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12821566.post-1129904720215433562005-10-21T10:14:00.000-04:002005-10-21T10:25:20.226-04:00

In some states at least, local agencies that handle registration and provide license plates are an important aspect of local economy. But Real ID will probably require office consolidation to relatively few places in each state. Here's an illustrative story from North Moore in North Carolina. Their local plate-making agency was closed in a raid by the SBI:"SBI agents seized computers, records,

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