Sat, 14 Jan 2006

Real ID Act Poses Technical Challenges

This of it as NAIS for people. Or think of NAIS as Real ID for critters. Same idea, same issues: cost, implementation issues and privacy. Even the same passing of the buck from Congress: both programs are to be implemented on a state by state basis, with little or no Federal money to help. In legislative parlance these are known as "unfunded mandates", and state governments hate them with a passion, because it forces them to raise taxes (and take the political heat) for these Federal initiatives.

Ars Technica has an article about some of the financial and technological challenges associated with implementing the Real ID Act. From the article: "Opposed by more than 600 independent organizations (including the National Governors Association) and hidden in the depths of a military spending bill in order to make passage easier, the Real ID Act has received heavy criticism from concerned citizens and state government agencies. Despite the fact that relatively sound and effective improvements to driver's license security had already been implemented as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, the federal government felt that it was necessary to go well beyond the recommendations of the 9/11 Comission Report by passing a costly and invasive law."

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