This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A House committee Tuesday unanimously passed a bill that would prohibit implementation in Utah of the federal Real ID program.
The program authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to standardize state driver licenses and ID cards, requiring a state to comply with the regulations by May 11. Sponsoring Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, said the authority of licensing belongs to the state. He also expressed concern about erosion of privacy rights.
Residents of states which fail to implement Real ID could have problems at airports, for example, having to show passports for domestic commercial flights.
Bill Lloyd, manager of Utah's Driver License Division, said the state had obtained an extension of the implementation date to 2010, allowing Utahns to use their identification cards to board planes and enter other federal facilities until then.
HB449 now heads to the full House.
- Jennifer Francis