Gov. Patrick Criticizes Real ID Act

The Patrick Administration is asking the federal government to loosen the requirements of the Real ID Act, which mandates stricter security measures on drivers licenses in all 50 states.

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security this month, Registrar of Motor Vehicles Anne Collins said that the Real ID Act would require cumbersome documentation and would cost the state some $200 million over five years.

Collins expects federal officials may relax the law. "I think they want to see progress, see improvements," she said. "They've now heard from a lot of states that without a phased plan, they're going to have a lot more states opting out than opting in."

If a state opts out of the Real ID Act, its drivers' licenses would no longer be considered valid identification for boarding planes, entering some federal buildings, and other uses.