Posted on 09/21/2006 6:45:39 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
(AP) 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 Thursday.
"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 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.
Seven of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers exploited a loophole that allowed people to obtain driver's licenses and ID cards by submitting sworn statements instead of proof of residency or identity.
The biggest cost, about $8.5 billion, would come in re-enrolling the 245 million people who already have driver's licenses and identification cards, the survey found. Those people would have to show documents like birth certificates and Social Security cards at motor vehicle offices.
"If you can't find those documents, you might find yourself walking instead of driving," Tom Wolfsohn, chief policy officer for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, said Thursday.
The Department of Homeland Security said the government worked closely with associations representing states as it prepared the report.
"Congress passed the Real ID act to help ensure that other potential terrorists don't similarly use fraudulent documents to board planes, enter nuclear facilities or gain authorized access to federal facilities," Homeland Security spokesman Jarrod Agen said Wednesday.
The agency will release its own cost estimates with its final rules by the end of the year, he said.
The law authorizes Congress to pay for the changes but doesn't specify an amount. Pound said the government has released $6 million to date for state pilot programs.
Typically, state motor vehicle agencies are financed by a combination of gasoline taxes, fees and fines. So the extra costs tied to the new security rules could be passed along to consumers.
The survey does not break down the costs by state. States earlier released estimates to The Associated Press, based on equipment they expect to buy, training they must do and the potential hiring of new employees.
Officials in California, with 25 million licensed drivers and ID card holders, said it would cost $500 million over five years to comply with the law. Texas, with 15 million licensed drivers, said startup costs could reach $167 million with annual, ongoing costs of $101 million a year.
Ohio, with a stubbornly high unemployment rate and a recent history of tight budgets, said implementation could cost about $45 million, with about $15 million in new, annual costs.
North Dakota, with a motor vehicle department budget of just $5 million, estimated it would cost up to $15 million to implement the changes.
The survey released Thursday was conducted by NCSL, the National Governors Association and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.
Send teh bill to Mexico.
What good are high-tech licenses when there are states that will give them to illegals or accept weak info like matricula cards as the basis of identity?
Why? Most everyone has a driver's license. What's the big deal?
What is missing is the cost differential between business as usual and the proposed system.
[Not to mention the cost if IT IS NOT DONE!]
[AND, WHILE WE ARE AT IT, LET US ALL RE-REGISTER TO VOTE, TOO! WITH PROPER PAPERWORK RE:CITIZENSHIP]
Methinks it may not be significant?
But, the pigs at the trough don't want us to know that.
Billions? That's insane. Most people that vote already have some form of picture identification. I think this is a load of horse puckey. What it will stop is people voting several times a day under different names in different precincts, ex-cons voting, and illegals voting. That's what has the dems up in arms. Who will vote for them?
8.5 B/245 M
You tell me they couldn't pass on a $35 charge to the license holders.
It's total nonsense. Most DMVs already have digital cameras, computerized registration checks, and all the rest of what would be needed for a secure system. And they are making a mint charging for driver's licenses.
No doubt they will demand a federal subsidy, raise the price for annual licensing, and rake in even more loot.
Don't forget absentee ballots. The Rats do lots of fraud there.
Did a search and it didn't come up.
Good investment, IMHO.
They won't pay. The illegals are not going to have to participate in the program anyway. A freshly printed matricula card, issued by Mexico is all they need.
But, but, but what happened to the "if it saves only one life, it's worth it" argument?
What! Are they making them out of gold?
Every soul's breath from The lives lost trying to found Jamestown, through every war and conflict up to and including our brave warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Not to mention every erg of energy exerted to get and keep liberty and freedom on home soil.
No .. I didn't think so ... most trains of thought about the 'cost' of anything never considers the soldier in a huddle .. or not .. realizing his last breath and thought are moments away and visions of Ma or Honey and the kids mingle with the satisfaction of a job well done and sorrow for not being able to stay alive ...
What is the cost ... indeed.
My thoughts exactly. It's not too hard for people to get a birth certificate, a driver's license, a fishing license, a Golden Passport, a SS Card, but it will cost "billions" to get a voter's id. BS to the nth degree. It is a "show me the money" whine.
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