NEW "REAL ID" DRIVERS LICENSE WILL BE A MUST

(07/19/2005)
West Virginia motorists will likely see their drivers' license costs soar.

Besides the costs, others will be concerned with the extension of government over individual rights, currently being detoured because of national security issues related to terrorism.

A new federal law requires Department of Motor Vehicle clerks to operate much like FBI agents. "It will put a great burden on the states," said state DMV Commissioner Doug Stump.

The national driver's license, according to opponents of the measure, is the precursor to a national ID card and is linked to homeland security.

Both Democrat and Republican governors at the National Governors Association in Des Moines expressed dislike for the measure.

They said it would demand skills of DMV office clerks far beyond what currently is expected.

Republican Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, told The Associated Press, "You're essentially asking the front-line clerks at the DMV to become an (Immigration Naturalization Service) agent and a law enforcement agent."

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, told the AP he believes the new law is going to upset citizens. "This is going to drive the cost of driver's licenses for ordinary folks through the roof," he said.

The new law, known as the REAL ID Act, was squeezed this spring into an $82 billion spending bill, and is widely viewed as a violation of state constitutions.

Licenses will include two photos. A much smaller second one is designed so it won't reproduce on a copier. Also, identifying data such as birth date, address and physical characteristics will be consistent with that required by other states.

The information will be fed to a national data bank.

A bar code will stretch across the back of the license while holograms and other encoded information will appear on the front.

The failure to obtain the new card would mean that non-card holders cannot obtain access to ride a plane, train or enter secure areas.