Arizona and Idaho Join REAL ID Driver's License Security Trend

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Apr 08, 2015, 08:30 ET

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Arizona and Idaho recently joined a large majority of the states moving forward with REAL ID compliance, and the goal of secure driver's licenses.

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Enacted in 2005, the federal REAL ID Act prohibits federal agencies from accepting driver's licenses as identification for "official purposes," such as boarding an airplane, unless the state issuing those driver's licenses meets standards set by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). To date, 45 states have either been certified by DHS as meeting the REAL ID standards or have been granted an extension to meet the standards. Only five states are designated as noncompliant by DHS.

In December 2013, DHS announced a phased enforcement schedule for the REAL ID Act. Each phase is preceded by a three month notice period, providing information to the effected public, followed by the actual enforcement. The first three phases of enforcement are currently in effect at some federal buildings. The final phase of enforcement will take effect in 2016, after which, driver's licenses from noncompliant states will not be accepted as proof of identity for domestic flights. The largest noncompliant state, New York, has nearly 11.5 million driver's license holders who will be unable to use their driver's licenses as proof of identity to board an airplane.

Policy Director of Keeping IDentities Safe, Andrew Meehan, lauded the two states, stating, "the trend is clear. The REAL ID standards are common sense and widely recognized as a good first step to reducing identity theft and fraud at the DMV. The number of noncompliant states has been cut by two thirds in just over a year. Translation: REAL ID is good policy."

While the trend continues to move toward REAL ID compliance, a minority of states have yet to comply. Despite a request from its own DMV, the New Hampshire legislature failed to act on legislation that would have provided an option for its residents regarding REAL ID compliance. The Governor of New Hampshire issued a press release noting that it would start to inform New Hampshire residents about the coming enforcement they can expect at the airports.

Mr. Meehan continued, "The REAL ID standards are the minimum in driver's license security. By not meeting the standards, noncompliant states may create a magnet for criminals and other bad actors seeking to fraudulently obtain valid identification. There are real risks for noncompliance that go beyond enforcement at the airports. States should move quickly toward REAL ID compliance and provide security for their residents."

About Keeping IDentities Safe:
Keeping IDentities Safe is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan, not for profit, crime prevention education public charity, supported by donor contributions from across the United States. Its slogan, "Working to protect the identity of every American", embodies its commitment to higher standards for both government and private entities that issue identity credentials, especially state agencies that issue driver's licenses and ID cards. Keeping IDentities Safe undertakes research projects addressing best practices for DMVs, compliance with federal laws and regulations, identity fraud prevention and related identity management topics. It provides research results and educational programs to the public and to state and federal officials. Keeping IDentities Safe is a member of the Document Security Alliance and of the American National Standards Institute.

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SOURCE Keeping IDentities Safe