It was during the 2017 legislative session that Missouri General Assembly approved legislation to give residents the option to obtain a photo ID that is compliant with the federal REAL ID Act. Because the current version of the Missouri driver license is not compliant, DHS announced in January of 2016 that Missourians would not be able to enter federal facilities and would not be able to fly domestically beginning in 2018. The federal government has since granted multiple extensions to give Missourians additional months to utilize their existing licenses.
The revenue department director said, “We look forward to being able to start offering REAL ID-compliant driver licenses and ID cards on March 25. However, we want to stress to our customers that there’s no immediate need to rush to apply because the current Missouri-issued license and ID card will afford the same access as a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card until October 2020.”
Effective Oct. 1, 2020, individuals will also be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, or another form of acceptable ID, to access federal facilities, including military bases and federal courthouses, and to enter nuclear power plants.
The Department anticipates increased foot traffic and longer wait times at license offices in the weeks immediately following the start of REAL ID-compliant license and ID card availability.
The transaction and processing fees for a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card, new or renewal, will be the same as they are currently.
Visit dor.mo.gov/drivers/real-id-information/ for a complete listing of acceptable documents for REAL ID-compliant license and ID card processing, as well as other important information regarding REAL ID. For more information about the REAL ID Act, visit the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website at dhs.gov/real-id.
MOHouse Budget Chairman Unveils Plan to Fund Road and Bridge Improvements without Raising Taxes or Incurring New Debt (HB 4) – House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith unveiled a spending plan this week that makes a significant investment in state transportation infrastructure without raising taxes or incurring new debt for the state. Smith rolled out the committee substitutes for the appropriations bills that make up the Fiscal Year 2020 state spending plan, which includes a $100 million appropriation to pay for road and bridge improvements.
Smith said the $100 million in general revenue will be dedicated to the State Road Fund for bridge projects in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, which sets the transportation projects the Missouri Department of Transportation will undertake. Smith emphasized the importance of crafting a plan that provides adequate funding for Missouri’s transportation needs without putting the state further into debt.
Smith added, “Missourians need and deserve roads and bridges that are safe and reliable, and it’s our duty as the crafters of our state budget to provide a plan that doesn’t raise their taxes or force them to make payments on debt we didn’t need to incur. This $100 million investment is the most fiscally responsible solution for Missouri taxpayers.”
The funding allocation for transportation infrastructure is contained in House Bill 4, which is one of the 13 appropriations bills that make up the Fiscal Year 2020 state operating budget. The House Budget Committee will work through the bills next week and consider potential amendments. The House will then take up the bills on the floor during the week of March 25-29. The bill is now under consideration in the Missouri Senate.
House Members Move to Create Stiffer Penalties for Poaching (HB 260) Members of the House of Representatives have approved legislation that would create stiffer penalties for poaching certain animals. Supporters say the bill will address an issue that currently exists where it’s cheaper for a non-Missourian to come into the state, poach an animal, and pay the fine than it is to buy an out-of-state hunting tag. The bill would increase the fines for poaching wild turkeys, deer, elk, black bears, or paddlefish in Missouri. Specifically, it would make the fines range from $500 to $1,000 for poaching a wild turkey or paddlefish; between $2,000 and $5,000 for poaching a white-tailed deer; and between $10,000 and $15,000 for poaching a black bear or elk. When a fine is collected under HB 260 that money would go to the school district in which the poaching incident occurred.
Please contact me at Patricia.Pike@house.mo.gov or call 573-751-5388 with your comments or for assistance on state issues, resolutions, flags, and visits. Matt Glover, Legislative Assistant, can be reached at Matthew.Glover@house.mo.gov. Capitol office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday year-round.
-our thanks to Rep. Patricia Pike
