Senate Bill 5

Chair's Name: Tom Rice

Committee: Motor Vehicles

Senate Sponsor: Mitch Seabaugh

House Sponsor: Tom Graves

SB 5 deals with identification cards. Section 1 is a statement of facts regarding the federal �Real IC Act�. Section 2 of the bill allows the Governor to delay compliance with the federal program until the Department of Homeland Security can guarantee that the requested personal information of Georgia citizens and residents will be secure.  Section 3 prohibits the Department of Driver Services from issuing an identification card, license, permit, or other official document until the applicant has been confirmed to be lawfully present in the United States, using the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program.

This bill received a Do Pass recommendation from the Motor Vehicle Committee and comes to the House Floor under the Open Rule. 

Chairman Rice�s opinion of this legislation:

WHAT PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY DOES THIS LEGISLATION ADDRESS?

In 2005, Congress passed, as part of a supplemental budget bill, the Real ID act.  Real ID is intended to ensure driver's licenses in all fifty states meet certain security measures.  Some of those measures will require states to obtain personal information (including Biometrics) on license holders.  This bill will allow the Governor of Georgia to withhold from the Department of Homeland Security personal information collected by the Georgia Department of Driver's Services until he is satisfied that the information will be stored and handled securely.