Governor Baker to File Legislation to Comply with Federal REAL ID Act

麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker ）昨（14）日遞出法案，企圖使麻州與聯邦真實身份法（REAL ID Act）更契合。

聯邦真實身份法是911委員會提出的法案，規定了各州政府在發放駕照及居民身份卡時必須至少符合哪些標準。

            查理貝克表示，麻州承諾要和議會及聯邦夥伴合作，為持有證件者提供更多消費者選擇，更大安全。

            在新標準於來年實施時，麻州將符合聯邦政府規定的標準，持證麻州民眾也可獲准進入聯邦大樓，登上國內飛機。

            一旦實施了，所有的登記系統也更新了，所有的新駕照，麻州身分證申請者將必須符合真實身份法的所訂定的標準，才能拿到證件。

            法案中建議的模式，將容許持有效社安號碼的現有的駕照或身分證持有者，選擇更新現有憑據，或申請真實身份證。

            只有真實身份證具有諸如做為進入聯邦政府大樓有效憑據，以及登上國內飛機的好處。

            由於麻州和全美大約一半的州政府一樣，還享有展延遵循規定權益，麻州證件持有人目前還不受國土安全局的執行法規限制。麻州汽車登記局（Registry of Motor Vehicles）將向國土安全局申請第二次展延，並需要有關當局在明年夏天，議會會期結束之前實施。

            根據麻州現行法令，駕照及身分證的有效期限是60個月。新法案將就遵循真實身份法做重大改變，授權登記處處長在消費者有權居留美國的時間少於五年時，只發給相同於居留時間效期的證件。

Governor Baker to File Legislation to Comply with Federal REAL ID Act

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker will file legislation to bring Massachusetts further in line with the requirements of the federal REAL ID Act. The Act, the result of work by the 9/11 Commission, sets minimum standards that states must meet during the issuance and manufacture of driver’s licenses and Massachusetts resident identification cards.

“We are committed to working with the legislature and our federal partners to provide both greater security and customer choice for our credential holders,” said Governor Baker. “As new standards take effect in the coming years, this legislation will allow us to meet the standards mandated by the federal government so that our citizens will be able to enter federal buildings and board domestic flights.”

Once enacted and all Registry systems have been upgraded, all new driver’s license and Massachusetts identification card applicants will need to meet REAL ID standards to be issued a license or ID card in the Commonwealth. The model to be proposed in the legislation offers current license or ID card holders with valid social security numbers the option to renew their existing credential or apply for a REAL ID.

Only a REAL ID carries certain benefits such as serving as a valid form of identification to enter federal facilities and, once enforcement begins, the ability to board domestic flights.

Massachusetts credential holders currently are not subject to enforcement rules set by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) because the Commonwealth has a valid compliance extension, as do approximately half of the states in the country. The Registry of Motor Vehicles will file for a second extension with DHS and would need authority to begin implementation by the end of the legislative session next summer.

Under current Massachusetts law, licenses and IDs are issued for a period of 60 months. The legislation will make a critical and required change toward REAL ID compliance by authorizing the Registrar to issue credentials valid only for a customer’s authorized length of stay in the United States if that time is less than 5 years.