Senate revives Arizona travel ID bill
The often-stalled travel ID bill got a boost Wednesday from the state Senate, which approved creation of a special driver's license that would allow Arizonans to board commercial air flights next year.
Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, wrote the bill to avoid confusion at airports next year when the federal government said it will no longer accept Arizona driver's licenses as proof of identification. That would compel Arizona travelers to produce a passport for domestic travel and has provoked alarm and consternation among many would-be travelers.
The strike-everything amendment includes the condition that Arizona must first seek a waiver from complying with the federal government's Real ID Act of 2005. But that waiver will be swiftly rejected, said Worsley, allowing Arizona's motor-vehicle division to begin creating the new license with enough time to meet next year's deadline.
The bill passed the Senate last month, but House Speaker David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista, failed to assign it to a committee in time to meet a crucial deadline. Worsley resurrected the measure in an overnight hearing last week, but Gowan again failed to advance the bill.
On Wednesday, the Senate's voice vote signaled likely passage, with only two audible "no" votes. It is unclear when the Senate will take a formal vote, but with leadership rushing to adjourn Thursday, it will come soon. It would need concurrence in the House to pass.
Gov. Doug Ducey has signaled support for the proposal, saying he wants "Arizonans to board a plane."
The bill is needed because state law prohibits Arizona from complying with the federal government's secure identification requirements instituted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The requirement is already being phased in. For example, it is needed to gain entrance at certain federal buildings. The restriction on boarding commercial aircraft is scheduled to start no sooner than Jan. 19.
Worsley's bill would create an optional federally compliant driver's license for Arizonans. Worsley renamed the measure the "Voluntary Travel ID" bill to quiet criticism that Arizona is bending to a federal mandate.
If the bill becomes law, any Arizonans wanting to use a driver's license as ID when flying would need to visit an MVD office to opt into the new license. It would not require any new documentation or attestations, but applicants would have to get a new photo taken and agree to return for a new one every eight years. A gold star would distinguish the license from the current license.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not return a query about how quickly it could move on a waiver.
Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-8963.