SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is not meeting federal deadlines with the Real ID program, and the state could pay millions of dollars more to fully implement it.
The recertification deadline with Homeland Security changed, Driver License Division Director Chris Caras told the legislature’s Transportation Interim Committee.
“We no longer have until October of 2020 to address the issue if we’re going to maintain our compliant status as a state,” Caras said.
Caras told lawmakers Utah could pay $3.4 million to put gold stars onto driver licenses for federal security compliance across the country.
“What we’re asking is not to change any of our policies or practices or the card in any other facet, but to give us the authority to apply that face-forward indicator,” he said.
A bill could be presented in next month’s special legislative session. The legislature once called Real ID an “unfunded mandate.”