California Backs Off Real ID. Montana stands firm over REAL ID Act

For a short moment Thursday, millions of Californians were in danger of facing pat-downs at the airport and being blocked from federal buildings come May 11.

In a Tuesday letter (.pdf) to Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, the head of California’s DMV said that while California had already applied for and gotten an extension on the Real ID deadline, it wasn’t actually committing to complying with Real ID rules by 2010. That’s when states who ask for extension have to begin issuing driver’s licenses and state IDs that comply with the federal rules.

"California’s request for an extension is not a commitment to implement Real ID, rather it will allow us to fully evaluate the impact of the final regulations and precede with necessary policy deliberations prior to a final decision on compliance," DMV director George Valverde wrote.

By Ryan Singel

Full Story: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/03/california-back.html

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Montana stands firm over REAL ID Act

By MIKE DENNISON – IR State Bureau

The federal government won’t be penalizing Montana for refusing to comply with the REAL ID Act, state officials said Friday — and Montanans can use their driver’s licenses for identification when they board commercial airplanes.

“We just stood our ground,” Gov. Brian Schweitzer said. “We didn’t blink, we didn’t buckle, and they said OK. We gave up about nothing.”

Full Story: http://helenair.com/articles/2008/03/22/top/55st_080322_realid.txt