Hello from the Capitol:
REAL ID Compliance:
On Thursday, The House passed House File 3, which puts Minnesota in compliance with a federal law, known as the REAL ID Act.
To recap: the U.S. Congress passed REAL ID in 2005 with the intention to make it more difficult for potential terrorists to obtain a fraudulent identification card. The state of Minnesota needs to be in compliance by January 22, 2018; if the state is not compliant by then, Minnesotans will be unable to board airplanes, or visit military bases and federal buildings.
The differences between what a REAL ID compliant license would look like and the current driver's license are minor. The REAL ID verifies the license holder’s legal status in the United States and ensures they are not licensed in more than one state. The bill that passed Thursday allows for a dual track system for Minnesotans to become REAL ID compliant; you can either apply to get a REAL ID, or use your current state driver's license and a passport as your forms of identification.
I am hopeful for swift action by the Senate and for the Governor’s signature.
Ditch Mowing:
The bill to reverse the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s new policy requiring a permit for landowners to obtain in order to mow ditches (House File 124) was heard in Transportation and Regional Governance Policy Committee and then referred to Agriculture Policy Committee for its second hearing. The bill has since been passed out of that committee and will be voted on by the entire House of Representatives at a later date.
If you ever have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-8237, or rep.brian.daniels@house.mn.
Sincerely,
