The controversial Real ID plan that would have the states all come into alignment with identification has been extended. The Bush admin will apparently make it known today that there is a 5 year extension for deployment.
From Washington Post:
DHS revised its ID plan after states and civil libertarians criticized draft regulations, issued last March and setting a 2013 deadline, as unworkable and threatening to Americans’ privacy by creating a de facto national ID for 245 million U.S. drivers. Seventeen states have passed legislation opposing or opting out of the program.
The 2005 law authorizing Real ID set a May 2008 deadline for its implementation. The delay will allow state motor vehicle departments to avoid a surge of applications and instead to phase in more secure licenses as motorists reach their scheduled license renewal dates, sources said.
The change will lower the projected $14.6 billion state cost of the program to no more than $3.9 billion, officials said.
[tags]Secure ID, Real ID, DHS[/tags]
