LANSING – Michigan would adopt upgraded driver’s licenses and identification cards and optional cards with additional security measures to meet standards under the federal REAL ID act and national Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative under legislation announced this week by Secretary of State Terri Land and legislators from both parties in the Senate and House.
In addition to an upgraded standard license, the bills provide an optional enhanced license suitable for border crossing under the WHTI, thereby avoiding the requirement that U.S. residents obtain a passport to travel to Canada, Mexico and Bermuda as of January 1.
The standard license will contain bar code technology similar to what state cards already contain, and costs will be slightly higher due to enhanced security features and additional review of documents that are aimed to deter fraud.
The new standard license would be available to all residents and legal immigrants. It could be used for domestic air travel when provisions of the REAL ID Act, which otherwise require passports, take effect. Federal rules for the law are still pending.
The new optional license could be used for travel to all Western Hemisphere countries once WHTI takes effect, and it would be available only to residents who are U.S. citizens.
“Our world continues to change and Michigan must keep pace. This plan ensures the integrity of state-issued licenses and helps to secure America’s borders,” Land said in a statement.
House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Steve Tobocman (D-Detroit), one of the sponsors of bills to be introduced in the House, said the passport requirements hold severe economic implications for Michigan’s tourism and retail industries, as well as trade relations with Canada. About 35 percent of U.S. residents and 40 percent of Canadians hold passports.
“Michigan’s economy is already struggling – we can’t afford to lose a single tourism dollar, let alone millions of dollars in Canadian travel revenue,” Tobocman said.
Governor Jennifer Granholm is open to discussing the issue, but a spokesperson said upgraded licenses should be designed for compliance consistent with the federal REAL ID guidelines. “We do not have federal REAL ID guidelines published yet,” said Liz Boyd.
Sen. Alan Sanborn (R-Richmond Twp.), sponsor of one of the bills in the package, said, “With all the technology available today it is prudent for us to update our driver’s licenses and state identification cards. These measures are common sense.”
And Sen. Cameron Brown (R-Fawn River Twp.), who noted the state is the site of North America’s busiest international border crossings, said, “In this day and age we must make homeland security a top priority; this legislation accomplishes that.”
The bills also make it a felony to use false certification or statements when applying for the documents, and gives the secretary of state investigative authority over applications.
The bills to be introduced in the Senate are SB 962 , SB 963 , SB 964 , SB 965 and SB 966 .
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