The Briefing Room
State Chapters => State Politics/Government => Topic started by: Free Vulcan on October 19, 2016, 03:14:49 pm
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By Ed Blazina / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
State legislative leaders and Gov. Tom Wolf have had discussions about the state’s noncompliance with federal REAL ID requirements, but it’s unlikely any action will occur before Pennsylvania residents can no longer use their driver’s license to get into federal facilities in February.
Whether changes will be made in state law to allow residents to use those licenses to get through airport security after Jan. 22, 2018, remains to be seen.
State officials said Friday they were aware of a letter received this week from the Department of Homeland Security that said the agency would not allow any more extensions to the 2005 law that set federal standards for acceptable ID cards in the wake of 9/11. The law requires states to incorporate anti-counterfeit technology into the card, verify the applicant's identity and conduct background checks for employees involved in issuing driver's licenses.
All of the information could be shared with Homeland Security.
Critics say the law creates an unfunded mandate for states and, in effect, establishes a national ID card, raising concerns about privacy. Pennsylvania and four other states — Maine, Kentucky, Oklahoma and South Carolina — received letters this week warning that Homeland Security would offer no more extensions...
Read more at: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2016/10/15/Officials-says-Pa-unlikely-to-take-action-soon-on-driver-license-dispute-with-U-S/stories/201610150062
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End of February, less than a year to go, and PA is still whining about the new requirements instead of taking steps to comply with the law.
I like to travel occasionally. If the state doesn't act soon, I will need a passport to fly in the US. I let my passport expire some years ago when I became ill. Overseas travel for me is highly unlikely now. Why should I have to get a passport because my state government won't comply? Will the state reimburse me for the cost of a passport? Yeah. Right.
Pennsylvania has a habit of electing stupid people to office. The current socialist state government is proof of that.
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End of February, less than a year to go, and PA is still whining about the new requirements instead of taking steps to comply with the law.
I like to travel occasionally. If the state doesn't act soon, I will need a passport to fly in the US. I let my passport expire some years ago when I became ill. Overseas travel for me is highly unlikely now. Why should I have to get a passport because my state government won't comply? Will the state reimburse me for the cost of a passport? Yeah. Right.
Pennsylvania has a habit of electing stupid people to office. The current socialist state government is proof of that.
If it expired less than 5 years ago, I believe it still can be renewed. And if you don't intend to travel where you need visa stamps and the like, there is a much less expensive Passport Card rather than the book. Typically used for travel to Mexico and Canada.
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/fees.html
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A passport is a national ID isn't it?
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PA is a basket case of a state. This obtuseness doesn't surprise me.
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@thackney
Thank you for the info. I believe the passport expired in 2008, so renewal is not an option. I'd have to look at the actual TSA requirements to see if a passport card would work. Apparently, any federal ID would be acceptable. Does a passport card qualify? A question for me to research.
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@thackney
Thank you for the info. I believe the passport expired in 2008, so renewal is not an option. I'd have to look at the actual TSA requirements to see if a passport card would work. Apparently, any federal ID would be acceptable. Does a passport card qualify? A question for me to research.
A Passport Card certainly meets the TSA requirements. I've used mine for Airport Security.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification
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@thackney
Again, thank you. I think the passport card would be a better fit. Certainly less expensive.
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PA is a basket case of a state. This obtuseness doesn't surprise me.
Amen. What's really sad is that the legislature is Republican controlled, but the Republicans are even more stupid than the Democrats.
If that's possible.