Lisa Crawford; excerpts from a REAL ID brochure; download the brochure here.

June 19, 2018

Even in a crowd that knew and loved her, Lisa Crawford had tough go of it, wading through the cynicism and suspicion. Imagine less loving crowds, where she must again detail how a massive change in driver’s license routines is essentially bound to create havoc in many North Carolinians’ lives – with the heaviest burdens likely falling on minority and aged and poor residents.

REAL ID is, at its core, a response to security holes that allowed the 9/11 hijackers to get on airplanes that they commandeered to kill thousands of Americans in 2001. States are re-issuing driver’s licenses that meet federal security standards. Beginning in October 2020, having such an upgraded license to show airport security screeners will make flying a bit less onerous. If you don’t fly, and don’t go to federal military bases, you might think you won’t need the upgrade.

But Crawford laid out some of the real-life possibilities. Suppose you have kin who fall suddenly ill and you want to hop on an airplane. Suppose a federal judge requires REAL ID of all those entering a courtroom (she said a Raleigh judge has already so ruled.) Again, there will likely be ways around, but they will require presenting lots of paperwork, and likely will take lots of time.

Crawford said a North Carolinian who upgrades her driver’s license will have to provide the paperwork only once. Then, as licenses are renewed, the new ones will similarly carry the yellow star of REAL ID.

Cost? Only the fee now required when you renew your license, Crawford said.

During her presentation, Crawford referred to slides from a PowerPoint displayed on the wall. The slides are on this page below the video of her presentation.

In the video below, the presentation begins at minute 10:01. The Q&A begins at minute 26:30.