Minnesota waits on Real ID waiver

Gov. Mark Dayton is headed to Washington next month to make a personal appeal for a waiver allowing Minnesota residents to board commercial planes even if they lack a security enhanced identification card.

Minnesota is one of two states deemed not compliant with the Real ID driver's license standards required under federal law. Missouri is the other.

The Legislature approved a Real ID measure in May, but it will take time to ramp up. The state Department of Public Safety is developing the process for issuing the cards, which require applicants to provide more proof of their identity.

On his trip sometime after the July 4

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holiday, Dayton said he will press Department of Homeland Security for “clear and official documentation” that Minnesota is in compliance so there won’t be travel snags this January. He is due to meet with agency Secretary John Kelly.

"I don't know what identification requirements will be imposed at that point, which would be driver's license, Real ID,” Dayton said. “I don't know how they'll handle if the Real ID has not been distributed by that point. That I can't answer at this point. But I think it will be relatively seamless and will certainly be our goal working with the department to make it so."

Dayton is confident a compliance extension will be granted. Several other states are operating under extensions as well.

“I don’t think there is any reason that Minnesotans should worry about being able to board a commercial aircraft next January,” Dayton said.