Gov. vows to comply with federal ID law

By Barry Massey
The Associated Press

SANTA FE — Republican Gov. Susana Martinez asked a federal agency on Wednesday whether there will be another extension of a looming deadline to comply with a nationwide law imposing security standards for driver’s licenses.

In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Martinez asked for clarification on what will happen to New Mexico — and potentially other states — if they fail by 2013 to meet requirements of the Real ID Act, which was enacted in 2005.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 states have passed laws prohibiting compliance with the Real ID program.

Martinez said New Mexico isn’t in compliance with the law because it issues driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. However, the governor plans to push again in next year’s Legislature to change the law.

Similar attempts have failed in the Legislature since Martinez took office last year.

Martinez’s letter to Napolitano came as states face a Jan. 15, 2013, deadline for meeting federal requirements for certain security features on driver’s licenses and identification cards. States also must have a connection to a national database of license information.

A number of states have objected to the high cost of implementing the license requirements and see it as creating a national ID.

Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union contend the federal law will unnecessarily provide the government with personal information to potentially track individuals.