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License confusion possible

By Mark Harrison
The Times-Journal

Published October 1, 2005

Some DeKalb County residents have recently received letters from the Alabama Department of Public Safety informing them that information contained on their driver’s license is incorrect and must be corrected.

They aren’t alone. According to DPS spokesperson Doris Teague, more than 80,000 letters have been sent to residents throughout the state, many of them senior citizens.

It’s all part of the first stage of compliance with a controversial new law, called the Real ID Act, a measure recommended by the 9-11 Commission and supported by the Bush Administration that will essentially convert state driver’s licenses to national identification cards by 2008.

The 9-11 commission recommended the move as a safeguard against future terrorist activities on American soil and an amendment adopted by the Congress in May made the identification cards a looming reality for U.S. residents.

After May 11, 2008, federal agencies will no longer accept a driver’s license or other state photo ID unless the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has certified the state’s issuing policies. New standards created by Real outlaws licenses for illegal immigrants, requires states to develop and link databases that contain driver’s identities, and requires additional forms of identification to obtain driver’s licenses including a form of photo identification, a document showing date of birth, proof of a social security number or eligibility for a social security number, and a document with name and principle address.

The new law is expected to affect a wide range of activities, ranging from collecting Social Security benefits, flying on an airplane, even opening bank accounts.

Teague said, in Alabama, the DPS is trying to get a head start on complying with the new law and the letters being mailed out represent the first stage of the effort, making sure that information contained on Alabama resident’s driver’s licenses match up exactly with information contained in the social security database, as required by Real ID.

Teague said the first stage of the process is targeting older records, so therefore the state’s older residents are the ones who have received the first batch of notification letters.

Those letters have proven confusing for some recipients, such as Ruth S. Francis, of Fort Payne, who received one on Sept. 13 that said, “the Alabama Department of Public Safety has identified that the information contained within your driver license record is incorrect. You will need to schedule an appointment with one of our driver license supervisors who will assist you in updating or correcting your driver record. Until your driver license record is corrected you will not be able to renew or obtain a duplicate driver license.”

The letter goes on to list a number of driver’s license supervisors that may be contacted regarding the matter, in such locations as Birmingham, Jacksonville, Montgomery and Mobile.

Teague said letters such as the one Francis received have led to a lot of confusion, and said DPS would attempt to be clearer in future letters.

Teague explained that those receiving such letters would need to contact a driver’s license supervisor in order to acquire a replacement, or duplicate license; however, Teague said recipients aren’t limited to contacting one of the supervisory offices listed in the letter and also don’t have to act immediately.

Teague said acquiring a duplicate license carries a fee of $18, but those needing to update or make corrections on a license have the option of waiting until closer to the renewal date to avoid essentially having to pay two fees. However, this must be done at an office of a state driver’s license examiner.

Although driver’s licenses are renewed at the DeKalb County Probate Judge’s Office in the DeKalb County Courthouse, DeKalb County Probate Judge Ronnie Osborn said his office is not able to affect any required changes.

Teague said that residents identified as needing to update their driver’s licenses won’t be able to renew those licenses in the future until the erroneous information has been corrected.

Teague said the erroneous information could be anything – ranging from a slight variation in the way names are listed on a resident’s driver and social security records, such as a middle initial appearing on one and not the other, to an erroneous listing of a social security number.

Teague stressed that, under the new law, the information must match up exactly.

Teague said DeKalb County residents who have received notification from DPS could visit the driver’s license office in Fort Payne in order to make the needed changes. That office is currently open only on Monday and Wednesday, due to a shortage of employees.

Teague said she feels the requirements of the new law are unfair to senior citizens living on a fixed income, pointing out that it’s a hardship for many to have to drive even from certain portions of the county into Fort Payne at a time when gas prices are surging past $3 per gallon for regular unleaded.

Teague said there is also the added cost, for many, of having to acquire new or replacement birth certificates from state officials – the certificates can be acquired from the DeKalb County Department of Human Resources at a cost of $16 each.

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