Real ID and reality

Govtech.net alerted readers today to Virginia Governor Warner's news release announcing the creation of the Task Force on the Real ID Act. The Real ID Act of 2005 prohibits Federal agencies from accepting State issued driver's licenses or identification cards unless such documents are determined by the Secretary to meet minimum security requirements. Minimum requirements include: verification of identity and lawful residency; the incorporation of specified data; a common machine-readable technology; and certain anti-fraud security features. The Act became law, P.L. 109-13 (HTML or PDF), on 5/11/2005. Warner's news release states, "Cost estimates to implement the program nationally range from $700 million to $1 billion. Congress has proposed approximately $100 million in funding to be distributed among the states."

Some of the task force responsibilities include reviewing the Real ID Act and its potential impact on Virginia, including but not limited to the potential increased cost; identifying a timeline for implementation; and recommending strategies to minimize impact of underfunded federal mandates.