Illinois Plans More Secure Driver's License To Avoid Flying Restrictions

March 2, 2015
Real ID mandates new driver's licenses for Illinois.

linois is working on a plan to bring state driver's licenses up to federal security standards before new air travel restrictions kick in next year.

Currently, Illinois licenses and identification cards do not meet minimum standards mandated by the Real ID Act, which passed in 2005 in the wake of 9/11. If the Department of Homeland Security does not grant Illinois an extension, residents would need additional identification like a passport or face additional security checks to get on planes.

The act aims to thwart efforts by terrorists, con artists and immigrants in the country illegally to obtain government-issued identification. Arguments about costs, privacy and whether the additional information would actually reduce threats have delayed implementation of the law for more than a decade.

More details here.