Our Voice: Lawmakers should make REAL ID a priority
The state Legislature adjourned this summer without setting new identification criteria for Washington driver’s licenses.
Until it does, residents soon will need extra forms of documentation if they want to visit the Hanford site or fly on commercial airlines.
It is a shame Washington’s citizens are getting caught in such a bumpy transition — one that has the potential to cause a lot of headaches.
Lawmakers need to make this issue a priority and get the state in compliance with the new rules as soon as possible.
In 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act, which created tougher federal standards for issuing driver’s licenses and state identification cards. The law is designed to better document proof of U.S. residency and help thwart potential terrorist activities.
Washington and New Mexico are the only states that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship to get a state license or ID, and that is part of what is causing the delay.
In January, federal officials gave Washington lawmakers until Oct. 10 to meet the new rules, but that deadline passed and the Department of Homeland Security has denied the state another extension.
So starting next year, a regular Washington driver’s license may no longer be an acceptable form of standalone identification at secure federal and military facilities.
Close to home, it likely will affect anyone who wants to enter the Hanford site but does not already have a Hanford ID badge. That can include delivery drivers, vendors, visitors and anyone going on tours. People with standard driver’s licenses will have to bring along other documentation like a passport, social security card, birth certificate or a voter’s registration card if they want to enter the site.
Washington does offer enhanced driver’s licenses and IDs, and those are acceptable because proof of citizenship is required to get them. But only about 500,000 citizens have the enhanced driver’s license, while 5.4 million people have standard licenses, according to The Associated Press.
Anyone who wants to get an enhanced license should apply in person at a state Department of Licensing office. Residents who already have a Washington driver’s license with a photo will need to bring proof of United States citizenship and a Social Security number. Upgrading costs $3 per year for the time remaining on your license. More information can be found at the state DOL website.
But an enhanced driver’s license only helps with entry to secure federal and military sites, and travel by land or sea. That means anyone boarding a plane likely will need a passport even if the flight is within the United States. It is still not certain when the new requirements will be enforced at airports, but the change is definitely on the horizon.
During the legislative session, some Washington lawmakers had considered adopting a two-tier licensing system, similar to one used in California. But it didn’t go anywhere. The proposal would have kept the same requirements for an enhanced driver’s license, but a standard license would clearly say it does not comply with federal rules.
It seems like a reasonable approach and should be reconsidered. Washington lawmakers need to hammer out a new identification system as quickly as possible so that our state conforms to the rest of the country.
We’ve had extensions long enough. It is time for our state to comply with federal rules.
This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 3:42 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Lawmakers should make REAL ID a priority."