The Informer on Wednesday answered a question about the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, which sets national standards for the issuing of identification cards. Documents that don’t conform to the standards can’t be used to enter federal facilities or to board flights.

Louisiana lawmakers, citing cost and constitutional issues, in 2008 passed a law sponsored by Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Moss Bluff, that prohibited the Department of Public Safety and Corrections — which encompasses the Office of Motor Vehicles — from implementing the federal law.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in December announced in January that it would grant deferments to states, like Louisiana, that had yet to comply with the law. The reader said she planned to take a trip in June and wanted to know if the deferment would still be in force.

The Informer pointed out in Wednesday’s column that the deferment took effect in mid-January and was to run for at least six months, and so would end at the soonest in July.

The column also noted that state officials had said that Louisiana would be in compliance with all but one of the federal law’s 39 requirements by October. The final requirement, which The Informer didn’t mention, involves a symbol denoting compliance.

On Wednesday, state Rep. Johnny Guinn, R-Jennings, succeeded in amending a bill to allow for the state to meet REAL ID requirements and to give drivers a choice between compliant and noncompliant licenses.

“The Department shall issue a license which bears a United States Department of Homeland Security approved security marking reflecting that such credential meets the standards of the REAL ID Act of 2005 upon the request of any individual who is otherwise eligible to be issued a license …,” reads the amendment, added to House Bill 395.

“If the individual elects not to be issued a REAL ID compliant driver’s license, such license issued by the department shall indicate that the driver’s license is not accepted by federal agencies for official purposes in compliance with the United States Department of Homeland Security rules and the words ‘Not for federal identification’ shall be printed on the license.”

Additionally, the amendment would limit the state’s compliance with the rules to only those standards that were in force Jan. 31. Any subsequent changes suggested by the federal government would only be implemented with approval from the House and Senate transportation committees. The provision echoes concerns that Geymann shared with The Advocate of Baton Rouge in November.

“Since we already comply with 37 of 39, why don’t we just go ahead and become a Real ID state? That’s the question,” Geymann told the paper.

“We don’t know where they go from there. Do they come back three years from now and say, ‘Well, now we’re going to make you implement this? And now we’re going to make you implement that?’ ”

Online:

www.legis.la.gov

The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098, press 5 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com

(mgnonline.com)