Mar 10 2008
South Carolina Still Defying Real ID
ANDERSON — South Carolina residents have been misled about needing a passport to fly if the state does not comply with the federally-mandated Real ID Act, Gov. Mark Sanford’s office said Monday.The act, approved by Congress in 2005, establishes national requirements for state-issued driver’s licenses.
The South Carolina General Assembly passed a law in 2007 saying the state would not implement Real ID Act because of the costs associated with it, said Joel Sawyer, spokesman for the governor’s office.
Gov. Sanford sided with the General Assembly at that time, Mr. Sawyer said.
State House members sent a non-binding resolution last week asking the governor to seek an extension to give the state more time decide whether to implement the act.
Some state legislators and news reports have said unless the state agrees to the requirements of the act, or received an extension by March 31, a passport would be required to board a commercial airplane, enter a federal building or go to work at a nuclear site, beginning May 11.
But Mr. Sawyer said a passport would not be required.
That is correct. A passport will not be required to fly. That is another Homeland Security scare tactic. South Carolina residents without a passport will simply have to go through an additional screening which takes only a few more minutes.
The legislature is correct in standing up to the Feds on this and they shouldn’t back down. This is a huge power grab by the Federal Government and it has to stop. We aren’t the only state fighting this and we need to stand strong with the others to get this act repealed by Congress.
