Since the first time Real ID became news, there have been many questions and concerns about it. With the federal government requiring the Real ID-compliant credentials to board on domestic flights and enter certain federal buildings, citizens decided to promote a silent protest and refused to obtain the document. For some people, the information needed to obtain this specific document was a privacy invasion, but for the government, it is seen as a security measure to ensure people’s safety after the tragic events of 9/11.
This state proposed to stop the Real ID
According to the authorities, to obtain a Real ID, citizens must have documents that show information such as legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, proof of address, and lawful status. Besides being technically easy to obtain, this information must expose sensitive topics for people.
For some authorities, it is okay to prove the residency to obtain a non-compliant ID, but the other components, specifically the Social Security number, can be risky for citizens’ privacy and put some personal information in danger.
Due to her concerns, Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) from Maine exposed the situation and introduced Legislative Document 160 in the Maine Legislature. If approved, this bill would repeal the law that allows the Maine Secretary of State to issue a document that meets the standards of the Real ID. To Libby, the bill also reflects the skepticism shown by the citizens of Maine, once that only a small number of the state residents have a document that meets the federal requirements for the Real-ID.
“Government should exist to serve and protect its citizens, not to catalog, track or intrude upon their lawful activities”, states Libby.
An “informed resistance” against the government
According to the federal determination, to board domestic flights and enter federal buildings after May 7, people must show their Real ID. Closer to the deadline, settled to de beginning of the last month, Maine registered a low participation in the state, a fact that was seen by lawmakers as an”informed resistance”, and not ignorance. For Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock), who is a co-sponsor of the bill, the concern is related to a shared database with citizen data. According to her, with the documents stored in the same shared base, hackers and identity thieves would have free access to this information.
On the other hand, if the bill were approved, Maine would be the only state in the US unable to issue its citizens federally accepted credentials. This fact also concerns some states’ authority, such as Shenna Bellows, Secretary of State. For her, besides the difficulties in updating the Real ID in case of changes and the shared database with citizen information, the residents should be able to choose whether they want a Real ID. Bellows was one of the authorities that testified against the bill, which was voted on by the Senate last week.
The vote outcome was substantial and promoted a huge change for Maine citizens
Voted last week, the bill was rejected by the Senate. According to some sources, the House of Representatives voted 109-34 against the proposal. Now, to board domestic flights, travelers should show a Real ID, passport, or another TSA-approved ID. For the ones that do not have the Real ID, it will be necessary to face extra screenings and bag checks. In a statement made after the results, Libby said that not passing the LD 160 was a setback for Mainers’ privacy and reinforced her concerns about it. Indeed, many changes about Real ID are still being implemented across the US, and this state has one of the most controversial.