This past week, Homeland Security announced their rules for implementing Real ID, including a provision indicating that states had to express a willingness to begin to come into compliance by 11 May, or their drivers licenses would no longer be accepted as identification for federal purposes.
Threat Level at Wired offers a picture of what could happen if the states continue to resist Real ID:
Eight states have already passed legislation opting out of the program, saying the costly program infringes on privacy and states rights. DHS originally estimated the cost of the program at $20 billion, but used creative math to slash that estimate by 73% today. Today’s estimate said the change would cost states $3.8 billion, and individuals $5.8 billion. The federal government has only authorized $80 million in earmarked funds for the states, but says states can raid their state grant funds to get at another $280 million dollars.[...]
If by May, Georgia hasn’t changed it mind and the feds don’t blink, the nation’s busiest airport—Hartsfield-Atlanta airport—will have security lines that last for hours. If a federal court house did not let a state resident get to his court date or prohibited someone from getting into a Social Security office, lawsuits and a storm of unflattering news stories will surely follow.
Throw in this being an election year too, and things could become mighty interesting. (Or, they would if we had a candidate running who actually valued privacy, rather than the authoritarian types we have in the current ranks of viable candidates.)