New Hampshire has a Real problem with Real ID. We nullified it. Since then there have been “improvements” to our ID’s but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) doesn’t like that residents can ask to have their drivers license photo and social security number removed from the State Motor Vehicle System.
It’s their biggest concern with regard to compliance.
Last March, in an effort to placate the Feds, the NH Senate, at the behest of Governor Hassan and others, proposed opt-in legislation that would institute
an “identification card” to “bear an approved security marking indicating that it was issued in compliance with Public Law 109-13, [Real ID Act] unless the applicant chooses not to have his or her social security number or image retained by the department, in which case the identification card shall state that it is not acceptable for official federal purposes and shall incorporate a design or color clearly distinguishing it from a compliant identification card.”
If you don’t feel like you need an ID to access Federal facilities or board an airplane you have the same choices as before. You can ask to have your data deleted from the system. But if you opt-out your license says you opted out. At present that is not the case.
The legislation, SB262, came out of the State Senate Transportation Committee with a 5-0 vote to kill it (ITL). One of the bills sponsors voted to ITL the legislation in committee.
The ITL was sustained by a vote of 14-10, party line vote in the full Senate. SB262 died.
Teleport to today and LSR 2016-2112, hinted at by the Speaker of the House, sounds like SB262 with a 5 year grace period tacked on the end.
By passing this New Hampshire specific bill, we will still be able to use our current IDs without a problem for travel and other purposes during a 5-year transition period. During those 5 years, our state issued ID system will undergo a series of changes to comply with the federal standards,” Packard continued. “We anticipate giving citizens the option to opt-out of the REAL ID program if they object to providing certain personal information required for a federally accepted ID. We anticipate that most granite staters will choose to opt-in and have an ID they can use universally.”
When State Senate Transportation Chair Nancy Stiles defended the vote in March she wrote,
In 2007, the New Hampshire Legislature was the first in the nation to reject the national ID program known as REAL ID. Since then, we have taken steps to improve our drivers’ licenses,” Stiles explained. “There is no need to enter into a national ID program, and no urgency or reason why federal authorities won’t continue to honor New Hampshire licenses at this time.”
Any reason why Senator Stiles can’t just dust this off and use it again?
H/T Kimberly Morin (for the link to the press release)
