HB1169: Smokeout attempt in process to remove Real ID

Here is the problem:

Strict federal rules aimed at keeping terrorists off planes are blocking some Americans from renewing their driver's licenses or getting other state-issued IDs.

The consequences can be staggering. Without an ID, people cannot change jobs, drive legally, collect Social Security or Medicare, get through airport security or open a bank account.It's "a persistent problem across the country," says Chris Calabrese, legislative counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union. The problems stem from the Real ID Act, passed by Congress in 2006 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, when terrorists used easily obtained driver's licenses to carry out their plans.The law says that by 2013, only IDs from states that require applicants to present proof of citizenship or legal residency will be accepted to board an airplane or enter a federal building. In most states that have begun to comply, that proof means a birth certificate or immigration papers.The ACLU and others predicted that the law's documentation requirements would be a burden to many Americans, and the issue becomes more pressing as the deadline nears.Sometimes birth certificates are incomplete, inaccurate, missing or were never recorded.When corrections officer Charles Lust, 46, of West Palm Beach, Fla., tried to renew his driver's license in February 2010, he was shocked to discover his birth certificate said his name was Bell. A court, establishing paternity when he was 14, changed his name from Lust, his mother's name, to Bell, his father's name.After his driver's license expired, he couldn't open a bank account, cash a check or change jobs. He had to make special arrangements to pick up his kids from school because the school requires ID."It kind of put my life on hold," Lust says. He finally got his license in September after the Florida governor's office granted an exception.

HB 1169 is the solution and was moved to the 41st day by the House State Affairs committee. Rep. Lance Russell successfully smoked it out of committee yesterday and has an up hill battle to get it passed on the House floor today. which is crossover day. Here are the smokeout votes from yesterday:

Yeas 25, Nays 43, Excused 2, Absent 0

    Yeas:
Dennert; Elliott; Feickert; Greenfield; Hickey; Hubbel; Iron Cloud III; Jensen; Jones; Killer; Kirschman; Kloucek; Kopp; Liss; Lucas; Olson (Betty); Russell; Schaefer; Schrempp; Sigdestad; Steele; Stricherz; Tornow; Venner; Verchio

    Nays:
Abdallah; Blake; Bolin; Boomgarden; Brunner; Carson; Conzet; Cronin; Deelstra; Dryden; Fargen; Feinstein; Gibson; Gosch; Haggar; Hansen (Jon); Hawley; Hoffman; Hunhoff (Bernie); Hunt; Kirkeby; Lust; Miller; Moser; Munsterman; Novstrup (David); Perry; Romkema; Rozum; Scott; Sly; Solum; Street; Tulson; Turbiville; Van Gerpen; Vanneman; White; Wick; Willadsen; Wink; Wismer; Speaker Rausch

    Excused:
Magstadt; Nelson (Stace)

Comments

[Anne Beal]

is this really a problem? I was afraid that it would be difficult for me because I've used 3 last names over the course of my lifetime, so I took all sorts of paperwork with me, but all they needed to see was my passport. I realize a lot of people don't have passports, but getting one wasn't difficult, either

[Aaron Heidelberger]

It's not about how difficult it is, it's the fact that the feds are forcing the states to do this and pay for it. The feds also want to link all these ID cards to a database that can be shared internationally.

[lorahubbel]

You still don't see the problem....SD is using L1 ID solutions which just sold to Safron..a French company that has a 40 year realtionship with Red China in issuing their National ID. This software company can upload genetic info, finger prints, medical info, voting records, birth certificates, addresses, bank accounts, and other personal records and keep it all in a "cloud" data bank. SD is not currently using all of their capabilities (we are only using the facial recognition picture so we can be tracked in real time via satelite) but we have hired the company that sends fear into the hearts of the chinese people. they are the most tracked country in the world and don't dare do anything to upset their ruler.