ID Requirement for Air Travelers Will Take Effect in 2 Years
Washington, DC (KROC-AM News) - The Obama administration is giving Minnesota and several other states another two years to upgrade their driver’s licenses to meet the requirements of the REAL ID Act.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that a rule requiring air travelers to have ID’s meeting the law’s requirements will take effect on January 22nd, 2018. After that, travelers with non-compliant identification will need to present an alternative form of ID before they would be allowed to board a commercial domestic flight.
Minnesota’s non-compliance with the federal law has been among the issues that Governor Mark Dayton wanted addressed by state lawmakers in a possible special session, but Friday’s announcement by Homeland Security is expected to lessen the sense of urgency that was created by a recent decision by the department to reject Minnesota’s request for an extension.
Congress approved the REAL ID Act in 2005, but the Minnesota legislature approved the law in 2009 that prohibited the state from making some of the changes needed to comply with the new federal standards over privacy concerns and other objections.
At the time, 23 states had rejected the REAL ID law’s mandates, but that list has shrunk to just a handful.
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