Fergie's Tech Blog

Anti-Real ID Rebellion Spreads to California

Ryan Singel writes on Threat Level:

California's powerful congressional delegation needs to go back to Congress to reconsider the Real ID Act that requires states to issue driver's licenses that meet federal standards, according to the head of the California Assembly's Transportation Committee.

Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-35) introduced a non-binding resolution to that effect Monday afternoon in response to concerns about privacy, security and the high price of the federal mandate -- which the government's most recent estimate pegs at $4 billion nationally. The feds are only ponying up a token amount of money, but say states can dip into their federal homeland security grants to help pay down the bill.

Howard Posner, a policy consultant to the Transportation Committee, said that last year the committee contemplated moving legislation to accept Real ID, but reconsidered after "looking at the cost, and the incredible inconvenience for driver's license holder and the privacy issues."

posted by Fergie @ 3/10/2008 05:13:00 PM