The state doesn’t want to comply with a federal law aimed at preventing people illegally in the country from obtaining driver’s licenses even if it could pay the cost.
“Real ID” is a set of federal standards for issuing state driver’s licenses. Those standards require people who want a driver’s license to provide birth certificates and other documents ensure they are legally in the country. The information and updates to the licensee’s personal information, such as changes of address, would then be stored in a format that could be shared with other states and the federal government.
Terrorists used state driver’s licenses with false information as identification to board the planes used in Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Residents of states that do not comply with Real ID would not be allowed to use state driver’s licenses as valid identification to board planes of federally regulated airlines or get into certain federal installations.
Arkansas and 45 other states received an extension until Dec. 31, 2009 to start implementing Real ID. At least three of the four remaining states announced they will not ask for an extension because they refuse comply.
Doug Thompson has more here.
