Capitol Report: Complying with Real ID Mandate, U.S. Bank Suites Use

Minnesota remains just one of five states nationwide that has yet to comply with a federal law mandating high-security driver's licenses or state ID cards for air travel and access to federal facilities. The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, and requires states to set minimum security standards for the issuance of identification cards. Minnesota lawmakers attempted to pass legislation during the 2016 session, but disagreements with language regarding illegal immigrants’ access to driver’s licenses stymied the bill. Author of the current Senate bill, Senator Eric Pratt, R-Prior Lake, talks with Capitol Report moderator Shannon Loehrke about his efforts to ensure that Minnesota becomes Real ID compliant.

More than a dozen states, including Minnesota in 2009, passed laws banning implementation of security requirements on state-issued identification. Minnesota’s ban was repealed in 2016, and lawmakers continue to struggle to craft legislation to meet the federal mandate. A long-time critic of compliance with the Real ID mandate, Senator Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, explains why Minnesota should question coming into compliance.

Last year, the Star Tribune published an article disclosing that U.S. Bank Stadium executives, who controlled two luxury suites on taxpayers’ behalf, provided free access to those suites to friends and family. The article prompted Jim Nobles, Minnesota’s Legislative Auditor, to conduct a special review, and he joins Shannon to discuss the audit.