Senate Introduces PASS ID Act to replace

June 15, 2009

REAL ID

States welcome revision of costly, unfunded mandate 

WASHINGTON -- After nearly four years of pushing for changes to the onerous, costly REAL ID Act of 2005, the National Conference of State Legislatures applauds Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and George Voinovich (R-OH) for introducing the Providing for Additional Security in States' Identification Act of 2009--the PASS ID Act. The bipartisan legislation was introduced on Monday, June 15, and will now move to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee for review.

This legislation will strengthen national security by offering real solutions within a framework that is more workable for states. REAL ID, which was originally estimated to cost nearly $13 billion, preempted state laws and imposed numerous inflexible and onerous requirements on states. 

The PASS ID Act takes positive steps toward addressing state legislatures' implementation challenges with the REAL ID. NCSL urges Congress to continue to work with NCSL and its members as this legislation moves through the congressional process and to take all possible efforts to ensure state costs for implementation of the Real ID, and any corrective legislation, be fully funded by the federal government.

"NCSL is encouraged by the introduction of the PASS Act, because it would repeal Real ID and replace it with a system that will ensure greater safety and security without sacrificing privacy and without incurring exorbitant costs that REAL ID imposed," said Carl Tubbesing, NCSL's deputy director in the Washington, D.C., office. "We applaud the sponsors for recognizing the shortcomings of REAL ID and for working with states to bring about these much-needed changes."

NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.