By Calvin Biesecker
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) last week extended the deadline for states to become compliant with new regulations aimed at boosting the security of drivers licenses nationwide, citing the poor health of state budgets and uncertainty over separate legislation.
The original deadline for compliance with REAL ID was May 11, 2011. The new deadline is Jan. 15, 2013.
Under REAL ID, states are required to ensure certain physical security features are included in drivers’ licenses, such as a facial photo and tamper proof technology like a hologram. Once the law goes into effect, REAL ID compliant licenses and other documents are necessary before boarding commercial planes and entering federal facilities.
DHS said that 26 states are either meeting most of the REAL ID requirements or expect to do so by May. However, 30 states are not meeting the requirements and need more time to comply.
“A large number of states are making tremendous progress toward meeting these requirements and we commend their efforts to achieve these goals,” a DHS spokesman told Defense Daily on Friday. “However, for a number of reasons, including diminished budgets caused by the economic downturn and uncertainty throughout much of the last Congress about the prospects for PASS ID legislation, most states simply cannot fulfill the REAL ID requirements at present.”
For its part, the National Governors Association on Friday applauded the deadline extension, saying it will give the “states and federal government more time to find solutions that work.” The NGA continues to believe that REAL ID as it stands “is unworkable.”
So far, DHS has made about $190 million available to states through its Driver’s License Security Grant program to help with implementing REAL ID. Grant monies are still available.
Moving forward, DHS plans to develop and issue additional guidance about the options available to states to meet security objectives identified by the 9/11 Commission. DHS also plans to continue engaging the states and NGA to obtain their input and ideas on the matter.