HJ42: Real ID Act; memorializing Congress to repeal or amend.

HJ42

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 42 Offered January 9, 2008 Prefiled December 20, 2007 Memorializing the Congress of the United States to repeal the Real ID Act or delay implementation of the Real ID Act until such time as adequate funds are available to the states to cover the costs of implementation and until amendments are made to the Real ID Act to protect the privacy and preserve the essential civil rights and liberties of the citizens of the Commonwealth. ---------- Patron-- Peace ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

WHEREAS, the Real ID Act of 2005 requires that states adopt federal standards for driver's licenses and identification cards by May 11, 2008; and

WHEREAS, the Real ID Act constitutes a costly unfunded mandate by the federal government to the states; and

WHEREAS, the National Governor's Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators estimate that the Real ID Act will cost at least $11 billion annually over the next five years; and

WHEREAS, the Real ID Act requires that a driver's license display a person's actual home address and provides no exception for those individual's in potential danger, such as victims of domestic violence or undercover law-enforcement officials; and

WHEREAS, the Real ID Act contains significant record verification procedures that place unreasonable burdens and inconveniences on citizens of the Commonwealth when renewing their driver's licenses; and

WHEREAS, the costs of obtaining or renewing a driver's license will increase since the procedures under the Real ID Act will likely require more workers, additional training, and system upgrades, which may not be funded by the federal government; and

WHEREAS, the Real ID Act will involve a national database that creates the opportunity for identity theft and invasion of privacy; and

WHEREAS, the requirement that states maintain databases of information about their citizens and then share this information with other states exposes every state to the information security weaknesses of every other state and threatens the privacy of every American; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Congress of the United States be urged to repeal the Real ID Act or delay implementation of the Real ID Act until such time as adequate funds are available to the states to cover the costs of implementation and until amendments are made to the Real ID Act to protect the privacy and preserve the essential civil rights and liberties of the citizens of the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the members of the Virginia Congressional Delegation so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.

Explanation

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