Just get a passport.
If you're a Minnesota resident who wants no worries about boarding commercial flights in coming years, that's common-sense advice.
It comes now because Minnesota legislators remain splintered over what to do about state driver's licenses and the federal Real ID Act, which requires those licenses to include proof of citizenship along with other personal information (not relevant to driving privileges) if those licenses are to be used to board flights and access military bases and various other federal facilities.
Just get a passport.
Since 2006, though, most legislators have opposed Real ID. In fact, in 2009 they essentially doubled down, passing a law that banned the state from talking about Real ID with federal authorities.
Yet Real ID is being implemented nationwide — even though it's troubling on many fronts. This makes it a priority that Minnesota legislators adopt and fund a plan to make driver's licenses compliant or they won't be acceptable ID for flights, possibly as soon as 2018.
Just get a passport.
Yet legislators are not making much progress on solutions. The Associated Press reported Wednesday: "With less than a month to go until the legislative session winds down, there are no shortage of conflicting views between the House and DFL-controlled Senate over the federal ID standards."
Just get a passport.
From Minnesota Public Radio on Monday: "[A House] bill requires all new licenses to be Real ID compliant. But some lawmakers from both parties argue that there needs to be another option. They say drivers who are concerned about the federal collection of personal data and who don't ever travel by plane should still be able to get a simple, non-Real ID-compliant license. Similar concerns fueled the 2009 prohibition on Real ID planning that lawmakers repealed last month."
Just get a passport.
And then there is this from a Jan. 8 MinnPost report: "In 2009, legislators passed a law barring state officials from even talking about the act with the federal government. Now, facing a few looming deadlines, legislators are scrambling to undo their previous actions and find a way to comply with Real ID.
"But some lawmakers say there is plenty of time to come up with a fix during the regular 2016 legislative session, which convenes on March 8."
March 8 turned to April 8, and now May 8 looms, not to mention that the session ends May 23. Yet no solution is gaining legislative traction.
FROM AN EDITORIAL IN THE ST. CLOUD TIMES
