This Washington legislation is the ‘low-key way’ to make sure everybody can drive
Jan 19, 2017, 11:28 AM | Updated: 11:42 am
In one year, your Washington state driver’s license will no longer get you on an airplane or into a federal facility.
Our licenses do not comply with federal regulations. The state Legislature has a fix in mind, and it gets its first hearing Thursday in Olympia.
Washington is one of few states that does not require someone to be in the United States legally to get a drivers license. Under the 2005 Real ID act, people are required to provide proof of legal status to get a driver’s license.
Related: Sen. Don Benton calls out fellow WA Republicans over immigrant driver’s license stance
Washington has been given a waiver every year to get around this, but the federal government isn’t giving the state any more leeway. In January of 2018, our licenses will not be accepted for flying or getting into a federal building or military base.
Under companion bills in the House and Senate, Washington’s license law would not be changed. People would not be asked to prove their legal status. But new licenses would be flagged to notify officials that they are not in compliance with federal law and not acceptable as federal identification.
“It would be marked, in some way, as not being federally compliant or does not meet federal guidelines,” Republican Senator Curtis King said.
King is sponsoring the bill in the Senate. Democrat Representative Judy Clibborn is sponsoring the bill in the House.
“We’re not going to bring the licenses into conformity,” she said, “but we’re going to have the ability for our state to be in compliance.”
Drivers wouldn’t have to run out and get a new driver’s license. But the new language would be added on your next renewal.
Our current Enhanced Driver’s License, which requires proof of legal status, would continue to work for domestic air travel and entering Canada.
The bill would drop the price of that enhanced license from $108 to $90.
“This just seemed like the best, low-key way to make sure that everybody can drive, and you’re not going to be put out if you’re just going to be driving,” Rep. Clibborn said. “If you need to fly, you have a number of choices.”
When asked why lawmakers won’t simply fix the problem by making our licenses compliant — requiring proof of legal status to get a driver’s license — Clibborn said it simply wouldn’t fly, because many people believe the state shouldn’t ask about legal status.
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