Louisiana latest state to reject REAL ID

That's right, another state has decided not to comply with the REAL Nightmare, I mean REAL ID ACT.

The Associated Press reports:

At least 10 states have passed laws rejecting the so-called "REAL ID" Act, passed by Congress in 2005 and supported by the Bush administration as a nationwide identification system aimed at stopping terrorists, con artists and illegal immigrants. The measure would require states to enhance their identification system for drivers licenses.

The Louisiana legislation, by Rep. Brett Geymann, blocks compliance with the federal law and orders the state Department of Public Safety "to report to the governor any attempt by agencies or agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security" who seek compliance. Geymann, R-Lake Charles, said he sponsored the measure after queries from individual constituents; but national opposition to REAL ID has come from activist groups with an array of political stances: social conservatives, the ACLU and libertarians.

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The bill is symbolic for the short term, since DHS has given states until at least the end of 2009 to comply, with further deadline extensions to May, 2011. REAL ID could also go in a new direction once a new president takes over next year. But REAL ID opponents said the Louisiana law will help block any federal efforts to move forward with the plan.

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DHS officials have warned that states must comply or their residents will eventually be prevented from using driver's licenses to board airplanes.

"If they do not follow the letter of the law ... then their citizens will see real consequences," DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner said.

The REAL ID system would create a nationwide database of information supplied by the departments of motor vehicles in 50 states.

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Opponents say it will cost too much and weaken privacy protections. Harper said the database would mean rogue employees in DMVs around the country could get access to information from every state, a huge new pool of opportunities for fraud and identification theft.

"With hundreds of thousands of DMV bureaucrats across the country, you're not going to be able to make it secure enough," Harper said.

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