First Salvo In National ID Plan: Maine

Maine is the first state to unambiguously "just say no" to a 2005 Congressional plan that turns a state driver's license into a national ID card. By a vote of 34-to-0 vote in the Senate and 137-to-4 vote in the House, Maine legislators passed a resolution refusing to "force its citizens to use driver's licenses that comply with digital ID standards, which were established under the 2005 Real ID Act. It asks the U.S. Congress to repeal the law."

The Real ID Act says that, starting around May 2008, Americans will need a federally approved ID card--a U.S. passport will also qualify--to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments or take advantage of nearly any government service. States will have to conduct checks of their citizens' identification papers, and driver's licenses likely will be reissued to comply with Homeland Security requirements.

Maine may be first, but it's not the only state with legislation that rejects the federal proposal. Montana's language is even more forceful; reportedly, other states include Georgia, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.