Committee OKs bill to opt out of REAL ID

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A House committee approved legislation Friday that would prohibit the state from complying with provisions of the federal REAL ID Act, a measure supported by both the American Civil Liberties Union and the Utah Eagle Forum.

"What [REAL ID] could ultimately lead to is a national ID card that could lead to all sorts of government tyranny if it goes too far," said Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem.

The worrisome provisions include the addition of radio frequency chips set into the state's driver licenses that Sandstrom said "could lead to tracking of movements of individuals and could be used to track the purchases of things such as ammunition and guns."

Congress passed the REAL ID Act after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to impose uniform standards on state identification cards. The bill would not repeal the portions of the REAL ID Act that have already been enacted, including the requirement that residents provide a birth certificate to get a driver license.