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State lawmakers discuss switching over to REAL ID
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BATON ROUGE - On the same day as a terrorist attack overseas, lawmakers in Louisiana discussed transferring state drivers' licenses to the 'REAL ID" system mandated by the federal government.
Some states already signed-on to the system but not Louisiana. That decision was made by the Jindal administration, who was then granted an extension to get into compliance with the new rules.
If the bill approved by the Senate's Transportation Committee becomes law, it would bring Louisiana drivers' licenses up to federal guidelines aimed at making ID cards more secured and vetted and more difficult to duplicate.
The REAL ID program has faced some backlash nationwide, particularly those concerned about the storage of copies of personal documents. The documents are taken when applying for the more secure license, and those opposed argue its an invasion of privacy.
The state has until 2018 before federal guidelines begin to require people to have REAL ID's in order to fly or enter federal buildings.
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