[Texgreen] "Real ID Act": States say secure driver's licenses could cost $11 billion

[margaret]

[Houston] Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4203856.html
Sept. 21, 2006, 1:55PM

States say secure driver's licenses could cost $11 billion

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS, Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- New federal security rules for issuing driver's
licenses could cost $11 billion to implement, raising concerns
among states about paying for the changes, according to a
national survey of states released today.

"There's no question that state legislators believe driver's
licenses should be as secure as is possible," said William Pound,
executive director of the National Conference of State
Legislatures which helped conduct the survey. "The $11 billion
question is, 'Who's going to pay for it?'"

The requirements  which are not yet final  are part of the Real
ID Act of 2005, which grew out of a recommendation by the Sept.
11 commission.

The law requires states to incorporate common security features
to prevent tampering or counterfeiting, such as using standard
materials in every state to print the cards. States will have to
verify the legitimacy of documents used to obtain a license and
buy equipment to digitally store those documents.

Without such features on their licenses, people would not be
allowed to board an airplane or enter a federal building.

continues . . .