The MO House of Representatives engaged in a colorful debate on HB 361 centering around the federal Real ID act which requires each state to move toward federalized driver’s licenses and databases. The very same legislators who have time and again voted in favor of requiring photo IDs to vote opposed Real ID because of the bureaucratic headache and cost of acquiring it.
Following this logic, one would believe that the same state representatives who oppose real ID would also oppose photo ID requirements to vote because both require jumping through bureaucratic hoops, paying fees for supporting documentation and long waits for such documents. Even the bill’s champion, Jim Guest, and Rep. Ryan Silvey confused one another as they discussed the process of acquiring a bona fied, government-issued photo ID. Click here to listen to their circular floor discussion.
Ultimately, the House voted to oppose Real ID because of the burden that would be imposed on Missourians to get federal certified ID to enter federal buildings and travel by airplane. The House of Representatives voted against such requirements in an 83-69 vote. Let’s hope that the same legislators will respond in the same way to unnecessary and burdensome photo ID requirements.
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