Georgia joins fight against REAL ID

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Legislators in Georgia and elsewhere are rebelling against the federal mandates contained in the act. State Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) says the act's requirements are an invasion of privacy, could open the door to identity fraud and will cost Georgia taxpayers as much as $85 million to implement.

Seabaugh has filed Senate Bill 5, which will be taken up when the Georgia General Assembly meets in January. The bill authorizes the governor to delay compliance with the Real ID Act until it is "expressly guaranteed by the (U.S) Department of Homeland Security, through adequately defined safeguards, that implementation of the Real ID Act will not compromise the economic privacy or biological security of any citizen or resident of the state of Georgia."

Seabaugh said he envisions a nightmare scenario where Georgians will have to stand in line for hours to present proper documents to get a driver's license. Seabaugh and others wonder what might happen if such a massive database was accessed by identity thieves.

"I see a train wreck coming," Seabaugh said in an interview. "And I feel compelled that being a member of the Georgia General Assembly that I need to start taking some action to try to address some of these issues, protect citizens, but also raise awareness of individuals. Congress has an opportunity to repeal the law, they have an opportunity to revise it in a way to allow us to get at what it is we're trying to accomplish with the Real ID."

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2006/12/17/12218metrealid.html

[Raineyrocks]

This is good news, hope more legislators have the guts he does!

[Rocketman]

My sources tell me there are bills in several states to stop Real ID implementation.  One of those states might actually beat NH to the punch!

In NH we need to beat it, kill, it destroy it utterly and completely, etc., and I'm confident that we will be able to do so this session.

[Raineyrocks]

My sources tell me there are bills in several states to stop Real ID implementation.  One of those states might actually beat NH to the punch!

In NH we need to beat it, kill, it destroy it utterly and completely, etc., and I'm confident that we will be able to do so this session.

Alright!