Challenging the Real ID Act
by: Rep. Brady Wiseman
This morning I will be having a hearing on my House Bill 287, which says that Montana will refuse to implement the federal Real ID Act. That is the new law that requires us to participate in a national ID scheme.
This law is going cause us a huge amount of red tape, it’s going to cost us millions, and it is a real threat to our privacy. And security experts say that it won’t do a bit to protect us from terrorism.
The Real ID act was tacked on to a military appropriations bill last year at the last minute, and has all the signs of being another boondoggle, but with consequences. They want to make us use an approved driver’s license to board an airliner, open a bank account, or take care of business down at the federal building.
Montanans have long cast a squinty eye at efforts by Washington, or Helena for that matter, to collect too much data about citizens. We deserve to have a real debate about whether we want to have a national ID card, and if we really need one.
My challenge to my fellow legislators is for us to stand up for our privacy and our liberty, and tell Congress we won’t play along with this. My bill is one of many in a number of states saying the same thing. Although there is legislation in the new Congress to do something about it, I believe that we need to hold up both hands and say “whoa!”. Congress needs to go back to the drawing board.
Real ID? We don’t want it, we don’t need it, and we can’t afford it. Let’s stick with the system we have.
Here is the text of the current Real ID statute.
Here is a study of Real ID by the non-partisan National Association of State Legislators.
Listen to the hearing in House Judiciary this morning at 8:00.
More posts by Brady Wiseman
One Response to “Challenging the Real ID Act”
February 7th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Another truly important issue and thank you so much for bringing this out. People seem to have little idea of the constitutional issues with this administration and instead of leadership on the National level, we are seeing more local and state movement. A national leadership vacuum. Along with secret prisons, dismissal of habeas corpus, national security letters and signing statements, the Bush administration has doen more to damage our Constitution than any other administration. Keep up the good work!