AUGUSTA — Legislators want Republican President Donald Trump to issue an executive order repealing ID standards they say jeopardize privacy.
Democratic Sen. Shenna Bellows and Republican Sen. Eric Brakey say they’re asking legislators nationwide to sign a letter requesting the order.
The federal Real ID Act of 2005 set security standards for driver’s licenses and required the use of facial recognition technology and state retention of copies of documents like birth certificates.
Bellows called restrictions “draconian” and said retention creates a one-stop shop for identity theft.
A 2007 Maine law bars participation, and the Department of Homeland Security last year denied Maine’s waiver allowing non-compliance.
The department last year announced driver’s licenses from non-compliant states won’t be enough to board commercial planes starting in 2018.
Legislators are considering complying with the standards.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
