Governor Steve Bullock & Attorney General Tim Fox Secure Victory Over Homeland Security’s REAL ID

On Tuesday, Governor Bullock and Attorney General Fox announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had backed off of their threat to stop accepting Montana driver’s licenses and identification cards for certain purposes listed under the REAL ID Act.

Governor Bullock:

“Montanans have said loud and clear that they will not comply with REAL ID,” Bullock said. “For us, REAL ID raises serious concerns about the extensive collection of their personal and private information by the federal government. I’m glad that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognizes the work we’ve done, independent of a federal mandate, to bolster the security of licenses, while protecting the right to privacy that Montanans hold dear.”

In a letter to Bullock, USDHS acknowledges the security improvements made to licenses and identification cards issued by the State of Montana. The letter grants an extension of the implementation of the requirements of REAL ID through October 10, 2015.

Attorney General Fox:

“It’s refreshing to see federal officials finally recognize that Montana didn’t need a federal mandate to produce and issue secure state identification.”

In 2007, Montana’s legislature voted unanimously to forbid implementation of REAL ID in the State of Montana. All 150 members of the 60th Montana Legislature agreed that REAL ID implementation is “inimical to the security and well-being of the people of Montana, will cause unneeded expanse and inconvenience to those people,” and raises serious questions about state’s rights.