Iowa’s going to have smartphone driver’s licenses

Think of the issues this would raise, especially giving a smartphone to a cop in a traffic stop so he can check it out in his vehicle! And for RSOs wow...anything possible. Then if a smartphone is lost? UPDATE: Some issues answered in this article: "Iowa wants to make driver's license apps for smartphones...

12-10-2014 Iowa:

The Iowa Department of Transportation said it plans to pilot a smartphone driver’s license program that could one day make plastic licenses a thing of the past.

“It’s really moving beyond a static thing,” said Mark Lowe, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicles Division, in an interview with The Washington Post.

The concept is to not only host the license in an app, but to also be able to send push notifications about, say, traffic, or if a user’s license is about to expire, Lowe said. He said he is “not aware” of any other state that has a similar program.

A group of state employees that travels frequently for work will pilot the program in the next six months, and the department of transportation will determine the next steps for wider use, including giving Iowans the option to try to the smartphone license while waiting for their plastic version to arrive in the mail.

“I think for us right now, what we want to focus on is the option,” Lowe said.

The state will also have to educate officers, those who sell alcohol and tobacco, and the TSA to ensure that the licenses are recognized, but Lowe thinks digital licenses are the way of the future. People “really expect to use those mobile devices,” he said.

Iowa is one of more than 30 states that lets drivers show proof of insurance on their phone, according to the Des Moines Register. ..Source.. by Hunter Schwarz

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PTSD on driver’s licenses gets mixed reviews

Given that each person would be allowed to request this option, then it may not be a violation of HIPPA. However, I would certainly hope that each person is advised of the HIPPA laws before placing this on his/her driver's license. Personally I would opt for carrying a separate card to alert proper folks in an emergency, that way the state is not involved.

5-15-2010 Georgia:

Veterans and current military members with post-traumatic stress disorder could soon have their diagnosis displayed on their driver’s licenses.

COVINGTON — Veterans and current military members with post-traumatic stress disorder could soon have their diagnosis displayed on their driver’s licenses.

The Georgia General Assembly recently passed legislation that would allow current and former military to request the information be included on their licenses. The bill was sponsored by State Sen. Ron Ramsey (D-Decatur) and co-sponsored by State Sen. John Douglas, R-Social Circle.

“I thought it was something that could help sick veterans and police officers. It would be beneficial to both sides,” Douglas said. “If a law enforcement officer saw a certain move or something like that he may could attribute it to something along the lines of PTSD. Many police officers and deputies are former military themselves and it would help garner some understanding and recognition of something they themselves might well be familiar with.”

Since the bill passed, several veterans advocacy groups have expressed opposition, including Marvin Myers, president of the Georgia Vietnam Veterans Alliance Inc. Myers said having that information on a driver’s license will only serve to perpetuate stigmas associated with PTSD and pave the way for more discrimination against sufferers.

“I spent two and a half years in Vietnam. Most people who were there have some touch of PTSD at some time in their lives,” Myers said. “They’ve been portrayed as everything from Rambo running around like an idiot all over the world shooting people. That’s not the typical veteran ... If you’re running along speeding and you get pulled over and you pull out your driver’s license and it says ‘PTSD,’ they’re not going to be sympathetic.”

Myers said it’s important to remember the information will be available to everyone from employers to banks — anyone who requests an ID — and could affect employability and applications for a firearm, for example.

Douglas said there was no opposition expressed by any veterans groups while the bill was in the works.

“As a result of no concerns being expressed, it passed the Senate unanimously and there was only one no vote in the House,” he said. “Had we known there was concern, then we could have worked on that.”

Douglas said the bill is not intended to get lenient treatment for PTSD sufferers.

“If there is an altercation, the normal rules and laws that already apply would be in effect anyway,” he said.

Asked if the bill could set a precedent for those with other psychological diagnosis to have that information on their licenses, Douglas, who is not running for re-election, said, “That’s going to be for the next folks that come along after me to deal with. I’m a co-sponsor. It’s not my bill. It’s Ron Ramsey’s bill.”

Douglas said the governor has until May 29 to sign the bill.

Terry Norris, executive director of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association, said he doesn’t see any harm to the bill.

“To be honest, this is one of the many, many things the Sheriffs’ Association didn’t get involved with directly. We certainly didn’t oppose it,” Norris said. “The more information you have on a person may explain why that person is behaving the way they are.”

Law enforcement officers receive specialized training to learn how to deal with mentally ill individuals, he said.

“There are certain things you do and don’t do to help mitigate conditions and behaviors by those suffering from mental illness to help deaccelerate possibly volatile situations. It may be helpful to be aware that someone may be suffering from (PTSD),” he said.

The legislation has prompted the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association to revisit a previous idea of having sex offenders identified on their drivers licenses, he added.

The Department of Drivers Services has not finalized its policies and procedures related to the new legislation, according to Spokeswoman Susan Sports.

“We do know that this new information will be on the back of the license. With the new licensing system, DDS has the capability to add text to the back of licenses and IDs such as medical information, etc.,” Sports said.

The PTSD designation would be voluntary and would require a sworn statement from a physician verifying the diagnosis and a waiver of liability for release of medical information. If signed by the governor, it would become law July 1. ..Source.. Crystal Tatum, Staff Reporter

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FL- Skynyrd drummer trial set

Here is a case with a set of facts that gives new meaning to the word "ODD." However, it is out of Florida so we can expect anything. Note the highlights, if anyone can figure how Florida can sustain a "Failure to Register" charge under these circumstances, I'm all ears!

8-6-2009 Florida:

Thomas Delmer Pyle faces hearing on Wednesday

Whether Thomas Delmer Pyle stays free or spends the next several years in prison may hinge on whether a judge and jury decide he had to register as a sex offender in Florida, even if he lived in another state.

The former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer, who performed as Artimus Pyle, has been charged with failing to properly register as a sex offender and committing unlawful acts in relation to a driver's license.

He was arrested Nov. 19, 2007, and held for a day in the St. Johns County jail before he was released on $10,000 bond.

His attorneys, Craig Williams and Tom Cushman, argued Tuesday that Pyle had broken no law and the charges should be dismissed. St. Johns County Circuit Judge Wendy W. Berger denied the motion to dismiss and set Wednesday for a docket call, the last hearing before trial.

The trial is scheduled for Aug. 24 if an acceptable deal isn't worked out between the defense and prosecutors.

Pyle pleaded guilty in Duval County in 1993 to attempted capital sexual battery on a child younger than 12 and being a principal to lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 16 years old.

"He was very, very reluctant to do that," co-counsel Craig Williams said Tuesday. "But he decided he didn't want to have (the alleged victims) forced to testify."

He was sentenced to eight years probation and designated a sex offender.

After Pyle completed his probation requirements, he and his family moved from St. Johns County to Asheville, N.C., in October 2002, said co-counsel Tom Cushman.

Pyle notified the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office that he was changing addresses, Cushman said.

"When Pyle and his family relocated ... he was no longer required by law to register as a sex offender with the State of Florida," Cushman wrote in a motion to dismiss the new charge.

While living in Asheville, Pyle got a notice in 2007 to reinstate his Florida driver's license, which had been suspended in a dispute over child support payments, said Cushman.

"In fact, his obligation to pay child support in Jacksonville no longer existed because the children had become adults," according to Cushman's motion. "Pyle was eventually able to get that mistake corrected."

The error had actually been corrected, Cushman said, before the Duval County Clerk's Office mailed the license renewal notice to Pyle in North Carolina.

His client "truthfully answered the question regarding whether he had been designated a sex offender" when he filled out the paperwork for a new license in St. Augustine, said Cushman.

What Pyle didn't correct before returning to North Carolina was his former Crescent Beach address on his new driver's license.

The Department of Motor Vehicles notified the Sheriff's Office that a license had been reissued to a sex offender. A detective went to the Crescent Beach address and learned that Pyle didn't live there.

The officer left a business card; Pyle called him and said he was planning on coming back to Florida.

The defendant was arrested for failing to properly register when he returned to St. Johns County a month later.

Cushman argued Tuesday that Pyle didn't have to register until he actually changed homes.

"Pyle did not indicate in any of his conversations (with the detective) that he had already established a residence in Florida, but rather that at some unspecified time in the future he was planning on doing so," Cushman argued.

Assistant State Attorney Adam Warren said, to prove the main charge, all the state has to show Pyle is a sex offender who went to the DMV to renew his license and used an inaccurate address on the application.

This is an absurd comment by the State's attorney! In fact, laws that lead to absurd results are unconstitutional!

The state statute does not limit the registration of sex offenders to Florida residents, he argued.

Cushman suggested that the state may be putting itself in the position of requiring all sex offenders nationwide to register in Florida. ..Source.. by RICHARD PRIOR

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Researchers find problems with RFID passport cards

There is a more in-depth discussion here. Note, this RFID type chip is being used on newer driver's licenses (already implemented in Washington and New York, and soon in Michigan).

10-26-2008 National:

RFID tags used in two new types of border-crossing documents in the U.S. are vulnerable to snooping and copying, a researcher said on Thursday

RFID tags used in two new types of border-crossing documents in the U.S. are vulnerable to snooping and copying, a researcher said on Thursday.

United States Passport Cards issued by the U.S. Department of State and EDLs (enhanced driver's licenses) from the state of Washington contain RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags that can be scanned at border crossings without being handed over to agents. Both were introduced earlier this year for border crossings by land and water only, and can't be used for air travel. New York is the only other U.S. state with an EDL, though others are in the works.

The information in these tags could be copied on to another, off-the-shelf tag, which might be used to impersonate the legitimate holder of the card if a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents at the border didn't see the card itself, the researchers said. Another danger is that the tags can be read from as far as 150 feet away in some situations, so criminals could read them without being detected. Although the tags don't contain personal information, they could be used to track a person's movements through ongoing surveillance, they said.

Another danger is that hackers could cause EDLs to self-destruct by sending out a certain number, they said.

"It would be relatively easy for someone to read your passport card or EDL," said Tadayoshi Kohno, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington.

Though there's no reason for panic, "Our hearts should start to beat a little faster," Kohno said. The risk to individual passengers is low, but the problems create systemic weaknesses in the border-crossing system, according to a summary of the report.

Retail, shipping and other businesses are increasingly using RFID tags as wireless bar codes that can contain more information than traditional printed ones. The growth of the technology is making the tools of RFID hacking more easily available, Kohno said.

In a cloning attack, a hacker could read the information off a card's RFID tag, either while the cardholder was passing by or as the official card reader was picking up the data. The attacker could then encode a generic RFID tag with that same data, Kohno said. With that newly encoded tag, someone could slip through the border by appearing to the RFID reader to have a legitimate identification card, as long as no one asked to look at the actual card.

By themselves, the RFID vulnerabilities don't mean someone will get away with cloning or other attacks, Kohno pointed out.

"In reality, the system involved in border crossings is much greater than just the technical aspect," Kohno said. For example, authorities are likely to interview drivers and passengers crossing the border and look at their identification cards, he said. They may also use other measures against card-cloning near border crossings.

However, Kohno and three fellow researchers believe there are mechanisms available for the RFID tags that the U.S. and Washington governments aren't using.

For example, each tag has two specialized numbers: an access PIN (personal identification number) and a kill PIN. (These are larger than bank-card PINs and aren't chosen by the cardholders.) The access PIN can be used to verify that a tag is legitimate and the kill PIN can be used to render the tag unreadable.

The access PINs are used on both the passport cards and the EDLs, but there are additional security measures that the researchers don't think authorities are using. For example, they could test the access PIN using information from a database, Kohno said. In addition, the kill PIN is not set up on the Washington EDLs, which could make them vulnerable to an attack that would make all such cards at a certain site unreadable, he said. Such an attack could cause a nuisance or undermine travelers' confidence, the summary said.

The researchers have given recommendations to both U.S. and Washington authorities, Kohno said.

Full-size U.S. passports, which are booklets instead of cards, aren't affected by these vulnerabilities because their RFID tags have cryptographic protections and the booklets have metallic covers that protect against snooping, the researchers said.

For self-protection, the researchers suggest consumers use the protective sleeves that come with both cards, which can help to prevent clandestine scanning. Travelers can also use the safer full-size U.S. passports instead. ..Source.. by Stephen Lawson (IDG News Service)

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TN- New Law Puts Mark On Sex Offenders' IDs

Are state messages placed on previously convicted sex offenders driver's license or license plates a violation of the ex post facto clause?

See my commentary following the article. eAdvocate

5-29-2008 Tennessee:

Registered Sex Offenders Must Carry Special Driver's License By Sept. 1 See Video which gives a good explanation of how it is currectly thought to be implemented.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The state of Tennessee is set to issue a new kind of driver's license that will have a special marking signifying that the carrier is a sex offender.

Some lawmakers said the idea is so simple that they don't know why they came up with the idea earlier. Police said the new license will go a long way toward protecting children.

State Rep. Debra Maggart said she is troubled by the fact that a sex offender can anonymously roam the streets, especially after police pulled over a sex offender last December.

"He had four or five young boys in the car with him that he had lured out of a sleepover," Maggart said.

That is why Maggart said she backed the bill that recently became law.

On Sept. 1, every registered sex offender in the state must carry the special driver's license.

The Department of Safety said it has yet to design the new license, but Maggart said it will look like any other Tennessee driver's license and only law enforcement officials will be able to see the notification.

Lawmakers said they believe the special ID will alert police when an offender violates the law like going to a public park or getting too close to a school.

"When an officer pulls you over or stops you and looks at your ID -- when he calls that in to dispatch, all he is told is if you have an outstanding warrant or not. They don't share your rap sheet," Maggart said.

Under the new law, if a police officer pulls over a sexual offender, the new license will notify them to look for things they usually would not during a routine traffic stop.

"This helps them do their job and helps protect our children in our state," Maggart said.

Any sex offenders who don't qualify for a Tennessee driver's license will be required to get a state ID that will have the sex offender marking on it. ..News Source.. by Chris Tatum

COMMENTARY:
Does this violate the ex post facto clause, most would say, no, but read on.

When RSOs go in to register they provide information to the registry. Then the registry displays certain of that information on a public registry; all state action.

However, driver's licenses and license plates are vastly different. How you ask? Well, who is carrying the state's message, the RSO, that is not like the state displaying information on the Internet.

So there are some who think that distinction is crazy? In the U.S. Supreme court, the case of Smith v. Doe (Sex offender registration), during Oral Argument the following discussion took place between Mr. Olson (then Solicitor General for the U.S.) and Justice Kennedy:

Justice Kennedy QUESTION: Could -- could the State require a special mark on your license plate?

MR. OLSON: No, I -- well, I don't know, Justice Kennedy, but I would say that would be considerably different than what's here because that would --

QUESTION: I don't think it's very different.

MR. OLSON: Pardon me?

QUESTION: I don't think it's very different.

MR. OLSON: I -- I respectfully submit that it's a great deal different. That mark on your license plate, or mark on your forehead would go wherever you would go. It would require you to carry the government's message rather than the government supplying the message.

QUESTION: Well, this statute requires you to make the government's message four times a year.

MR. OLSON: It only -- it doesn't require you to make the government's message four times a year. The government's message, I respectfully submit, is made when a citizen submits an inquiry to the State through the Internet listing. All -- it is required four times a year is to advise the government of a current location or current information so that the information on the registry is accurate and -- and up-to-date.


So, who is carrying the message? It is the RSO when it is on his driver's license or license plate. That distinction, following the sentencing where it was not part of the sentence, could very well be construed as further punishment. i.e., a ex post facto violation.

Apparently, there is something in law about, who carries the message, and lawyers know about this. Now to find those lawyers to fight the issue all the way to the U.S. Supreme court. That may be easier said than done.


One more thing must be addressed, in the video they mention a case where a RSO had a few boys in his car and was stopped by a police officer. The women in the video claimed, if the driver's license had "Sex Offender" on it, then the police would know who he is dealing with.

My question: Why does it have to be on the license, he stopped the car, why did he stop the car and what was he going to do? Obviously because there were a few boys in the car with a man, I think that is likened to, "Driving while being a man with kids." We all know what is usually in that comment.

The cop checked the guy's license by calling it in, wouldn't it be much easier to have the station returning the call, have check for sex offender as part of their check for warrants?

Here is the real reason behind this, it is a sound bite which gets votes, the fact that it will cost the state tons of taxpayer dollars lawmakers care not. Secondly, it is another way to restrict RSOs and get convictions for not following the letter of the law, which would likely have some time element involved as well.

Now, how does what is on a license or license plate, protect kids? It doesn't, kids are not involved with licenses or license plates, and the crap about if a RSO went near a school someone would know, is plain baloney. There has not been one crime reported to have been comitted by a RSO who lived within a proscribed distance from a school, committed at said school, not one.

The focus is not kids, that is a pretext, the focus is further restrictions to circumvent constitutional protections, and sound bites to get votes for lawmakers.

eAdvocate

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Real ID -v- the States

January 2008:

Editor's note: A May deadline looms as just one flash point in a political showdown between Homeland Security and states that oppose Real ID demands. This is the last in a four-part series examining the confrontation. Today's installment is a set of frequently asked questions, or FAQ, that we hope explains how the Real ID law affects you.

The Real ID law is touted by Homeland Security officials as an anticrime and antiterror measure, but is steadfastly opposed by some state governments on privacy and sovereignty grounds. Computer scientists also have raised concerns about how its creation of a national interlinked database would work in practice. Keep reading for more on Real ID.

Q: When does the Real ID Act take effect?
On May 11, a little more than three months from now. But states like California that have agreed to comply and ones like Pennsylvania that have requested a deadline extension are not affected--driver's licenses from those states will continue to work for entering federal buildings and flying commercially.

Some states seem to have requested an extension as a tactical maneuver with little intention of ever complying. Washington and Idaho may fall into this category. A spokesman for Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter told us: "We've asked for an extension, but we still have serious concerns and reservations about it and its future here is to be determined."

Q: Who's going to have trouble flying or entering federal buildings starting May 11?
Residents of the five states--Maine, South Carolina, Montana, Oklahoma, and New Hampshire--that have firmly rejected Real ID. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have not decided yet, meaning they could fall into this category too.

Q: So if I live in Maine, South Carolina, Montana, Oklahoma, or New Hampshire, and I want to fly out of any U.S. airport starting May 11, what happens?
The Bush administration has not answered that question. The Transportation Security Administration referred our questions to the Department of Homeland Security. A Homeland Security spokesman told us: "That's an operational, ongoing issue at this point in time. We'll need to be a bit closer in."

One likely situation is that starting May 11, security checkpoints at all U.S. airports will have a Real ID and a non-Real ID line. Non-Real ID would be in the slow line, which Homeland Security predicts will involve "delays" and "enhanced security screening." (One official with the Portland International Airport even joked about a mandatory "full body cavity search.")

Q: Can I use a U.S. passport instead to get in the fast line?
Yes. If you don't have one, you'd better apply soon. The State Department estimates four to six weeks for processing.

Q: If I live in one of those noncompliant states, how do I access federal buildings, including courthouses, veteran's hospitals, Social Security offices, and so on?
At airports, at least, you can get in the slow lane and eventually get past security. There's no equivalent option for federal buildings that require ID: it appears that you'll simply be denied access unless you have a passport or military ID. (Remember, of course, that not all federal buildings require ID.)

Ironically, one option for federal agencies is to stop requiring photo ID completely. Another is to be liberal in what they accept as valid identification; you could always try your Sam's Club card or library card instead. Homeland Security already has relaxed supposedly strict rules about what ID is accepted at border crossings.

Q: Will the federal government issue more regulations about when I have to show a Real ID license?
Probably. One Homeland Security official told Congress last year that Real ID could be used for "reducing unlawful employment, voter fraud, and underage drinking." Another recently suggested that Americans buying cold medicines like Sudafed with pseudoephedrine could be required to show Real ID.

Q: Does Homeland Security have the authority to do that kind of expansion, or can only Congress expand Real ID?
Homeland Security has the authority. The text of the law says that, starting May 11, "a federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a driver's license or identification card issued by a state to any person unless the state is meeting the requirements of this section." Official purpose is defined to include "any other purposes" that Homeland Security thinks is wise.

The potential list of "purposes" could be long. Real ID could in theory be required for traveling on Amtrak, collecting federal welfare benefits, signing up for Social Security, applying for student loans, interacting with the U.S. Postal Service, entering national parks, and so on.

Q: What about buying firearms?
That's an open question. Homeland Security last month refused to rule out requiring Real ID for firearm purchases in the future.

When asked about requiring Real ID to buy a firearm, Homeland Security replied: "DHS will continue to consider additional ways in which a Real ID license can or should be used and will implement any changes to the definition of 'official purpose' or determinations regarding additional uses for Real ID consistent with applicable laws and regulatory requirements. DHS does not agree that it must seek the approval of Congress as a prerequisite to changing the definition in the future."

Q: Which presidential candidates voted for Real ID?
All of them who were members of Congress at the time voted for Real ID except Rep. Ron Paul, a Republican.

The vote in Congress was overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal, part of a broader government spending and tsunami relief bill that was approved unanimously by the Senate and by a vote of 368 to 58 in the House of Representatives. Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain voted for it.

Q: What kind of information about me is going to be stored on the Real ID card?
This hasn't changed substantially since our earlier FAQ published nearly three years ago. At a minimum: name, birth date, sex, ID number, a digital photograph, address, and a "common machine-readable technology" that Homeland Security approves. The card must also sport "physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes."

Q: Does "common machine-readable technology" mean RFID?
Not at this point. Homeland Security has said it is not requiring that states use RFID chips, or radio frequency ID chips, in Real ID licenses. Instead, what's required is a two-dimensional barcode called PDF417. Many states already print this or a similar barcode on their driver's licenses.

Q: Will the information about me on the PDF417 barcode, such as my home address, be encrypted to prevent a bank or a bar or any other business from swiping it and adding me to their database?
No. Homeland Security said it would be too much work "given law enforcement's need for easy access to the information." It is, however, "open to considering technology alternatives to the PDF417 2D bar code in the future to provide greater privacy protections," which could mean RFID chips in the future. U.S. passports already have RFID chips embedded.

Q: What kind of data will states share under Real ID?
Real ID will require states to share detailed information about anyone with a state ID card or driver's license, perhaps through a network called AAMVAnet, which the Department of Transportation is paying to expand in hopes of supporting the massive amount of data that will be exchanged. Databases owned by Social Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will also be integrated. The idea is that this will allow documents such as birth certificates to be validated online.

Many of the details remain unclear because Homeland Security has not made final decisions, including about whether to build on top of AAMVAnet or expand a centralized federal database already used for commercial driver's licensing. Computer scientists and privacy advocates unsuccessfully urged Homeland Security to reject Real ID as "unworkable" because of the security and scalability concerns.

Q: If there's no encryption, is there at least a federal law saying that banks and bars and so on are prohibited from compiling databases of personal information based on Real ID licenses?
No. Some states like California and Texas have passed laws restricting the use of information from a swiped driver's license. But there is no federal law.

Q: I heard something about Homeland Security giving states more time to issue Real ID-compliant licenses. What is the absolute deadline for all of this to be finished?
To make Real ID more palatable to state governments, Homeland Security extended the final deadline beyond what the text of the statute says.

In the final rule released last month, DHS said the deadline for all states to comply would be December 1, 2017. Only states that can prove they are well on their way to implementing Real ID qualify for this deadline extension.

Q: What does this mean for me if I live in one of the states that will eventually comply with Real ID?
It's difficult to answer this question because state governments told us they haven't had enough time to digest the final rules that Homeland Security published last month.

In general, state motor vehicle agencies will be required to verify that you are who you claim to be, which could require that you provide additional paperwork and original documents. This could mean higher costs and longer wait times at the DMV.

Q: Why do we have Real ID, anyway?
It depends on who you ask. The Bush administration will tell you that it stems from the 9/11 Commission's suggestions, and it'll make the country safer. The administration will also point out that some of the September 11 hijackers had fake driver's licenses.

Critics respond by saying the September 11 hijackers could have just as easily boarded those flights using foreign passports. Another criticism is that Real ID licenses are tantamount to a national ID card, something unique in American history.

Q: What about religious objections?
Thousands of Americans do not have photographs on their driver's licenses or state ID cards, usually because of religious objections. Approximately a dozen states currently allow this, but Real ID does not. Therefore, those licenses without photos will not be valid for flying or federal buildings starting May 11.

Q: Is there any chance that the next administration or Congress will roll back these requirements before they kick in?
It's a little early to tell. Obama and Clinton have both expressed some concerns about Real ID, while McCain enthusiastically supports it.

Q: Is all this really going to happen? Or could Homeland Security change its mind?
Yes, it's possible that something could change. But neither Homeland Security nor the non-Real ID states show any signs of blinking. In addition, any legal changes would probably have to originate with Congress--where a proposal to amend Real ID has been stuck in a Senate committee since February 2007. ..more.. by Declan McCullagh

Related story The legislation behind a national ID
Read the full text of the Real ID law here.

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