The new rules are part of a federal law called Real ID, which Congress passed in 2005 out of concern that drivers' licenses were too easy to get.
The law is controversial and many states have rejected it as too costly to implement. Florida, where some of the Sept. 11 attackers got drivers' licenses, is among the first states to comply.
To get a state ID or driver's license, even if it is a renewal or replacement, you must come in armed with your original birth certificate or passport, Social Security card and two items mailed to you that contain your address.
If your name has changed because of marriage or divorce, you must provide certified copies proving it.
Those who make it through this document juggernaut become Real ID-compliant and get a tiny gold star on their licenses. At some point, this will be needed to go into a federal building or to board a commercial airliner.
And yet, people think that government-run health care is a good idea.
2 comments:
This is interesting, Cullen. I had not heard about this before. My wife got her license renewed in Nov. 2009, and she didn't jump through hoops.
As I was reading this, I thought, "Heck, I don't have a social security card, and haven't in probably 30 years...will have to get one."
So, I did some checking, and Louisiana passed legislation prohibiting Real ID implementation.
http://www.realidstates.com/real-id-louisiana/
That www.realidstates.com has the story for each state. Interesting.
I'm renewing this month here in New Jersey - I have to have all my original documents even though I already did all this pferdkaese four years ago. I guess I still have to prove I'm me.
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