The Legislature’s Transportation Committee voted unanimously Thursday morning to reject a bill proposed by Rep. Laurel Libby (R-Auburn) intended to block Secretary of State Shenna Bellows from issuing Real IDs to Mainers.
Irrespective of Rep. Libby’s bill, Sec. Bellows’ office has been slow in issuing Real IDs, or the form of federally-required identification for boarding planes or entering government facilities, to Mainers. Less than a third of state residents are believed to have one currently even though the deadline passed on Wednesday.
[RELATED: Don’t Have Your Real ID Yet? Distracted Secretary of State Asks Feds for Another Extension]
Although federal Real ID requirements were originally introduced in 2005, the deadline for their adoption has been delayed repeatedly over the past twenty years.
Brought forward at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, the law establishing the Real ID mandate aimed to set standards for state-issued drivers licenses and identification cards.
Beginning on May 7 of this year, federal agencies – including the TSA at the airport – may only accept Real IDs, as opposed to regular state-issued IDs. Other acceptable types of documentation include, but are not limited to, a passport, a permanent resident card, or a state-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL)/Enhanced ID (EID).
EDLs/EIDs are currently available in five states — including Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington — and may be used to “provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship when crossing the U.S. border in a vehicle.” The requirements for obtaining an EDL/EID vary by state.
In order to obtain a Real ID, individuals must present documentation showing their full legal name, date of birth, social security number, proof of address, and lawful status.
For those who have legally changed their name, proof of this name change would need to be provided in order to obtain a Real ID.
Reporting reveals that currently, only about 29 percent of Mainers had a Real ID as the May 7th deadline approached.
During the April 15th public hearing on this bill, supporters raised concerns over the privacy risks posed by participation in the Real ID program.
Most notably, participation in the program results in certain aspects of residents’ personal data being aggregated into a national database.
Consequently, some raised concerns that this could potentially make Mainers’ more vulnerable to having their information exposed to hackers. Libby was not the only member of the legislature to voice doubts about the Real ID program.
“This kind of infrastructure presents serious risks,” said Sen. Nicole Grohoski (D-Hancock). “It creates a ‘one-stop shop’ for hackers, identity thieves, and surveillance systems.”
“Every time a REAL ID is used—whether to board a plane or enter a federal building—a record can be created and uploaded to a federal system, building a detailed profile of individuals’ movements and activities,” Sen. Grohoski suggested.
“The dangers of centralized data systems are not theoretical. We’ve seen massive breaches of personal information in both government and private databases,” explained Grohoski. “REAL ID makes those breaches more damaging by consolidating sensitive personal data across states and systems.”
“Mainers who expressly opted out of REAL ID to protect their sensitive information are now, most likely without their knowledge, part of the same national database they wished to avoid,” said Grohoski.
“Repealing our participation in REAL ID sends a clear message: Maine stands for privacy, civil liberties, and a common-sense approach to public policy,” Grohoski concluded.
Secretary of State Bellows testified in opposition to this bill, pointing out that it would make Maine the only state in the nation unable to provide residents a federally accepted form of identification.
“Mainers who want a REAL ID or are required to get one by the federal government should not be prohibited from doing so,” Bellows said.
“Unlike a handful of states that mandated the REAL ID format on all credentials, Maine’s elected officials chose to keep it optional,” continued Bellows. “That 2017 vision empowered Mainers to make a choice — and to be clear, many Mainers are making a conscious choice not to get a REAL ID-compliant credential, as is their right — and that’s a policy making standard we ought to embrace and preserve.”
“To cancel the program now not only removes a secure, flexible option from our fellow Mainers, but it would also inconveniently force over 321 ,000 Mainers to pursue a replacement license or ID,” she concluded.
Members of the Transportation Committee unanimously cast a preliminary vote in opposition to Rep. Libby’s bill blocking the Secretary of State from issuing Real IDs to Mainers.
There was no additional discussion of this bill among Committee members during Thursday’s work session.
Because this was only a preliminary vote, the Committee’s recommendation could still potentially change before it makes its official report to the Legislature.
Should the unanimous Ought Not to Pass report stand, it will likely be the end of the line for this proposal unless members of the Legislature take extraordinary action.
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Note: This story was updated on May 12, 2025 to provide additional clarity concerning the types of documentation and identification that individuals may use when boarding flights.
