January 5, 2005

The Catch-22 of the New US National ID

A new rule that would dictate to states how driver licenses and state ID cards must appear is part of the new Intelligence bill that recently became law. The states would be given the option of using the federal standards for identification documents provided to residents, but Federal agencies that provide services or benefits would be prohibited from accepting any identification that did not include the Federal Standards. The federal government can then say that the requirements are not mandatory, while states would have to contend with resident's potentially not receiving their federal benefits should they choose not to comply with the new standards.

New ID rules cause worries over privacy , San Diego Union-Tribune, December 20, 2004.