By Kate Nash

At least, that's what key New Mexico House and Senate leaders are saying.

If implemented, the federal REAL ID act would be a disaster, according to some state lawmakers who held a news conference at the Roundhouse today.

"There seems to be universal disdain, no matter where you sit on the political spectrum, for the federal law that requires states to implement the Real ID Act through their motor vehicle departments," House Majority Leader Ken Martinez, a Grants Democrat said in a statement.

"It is time for New Mexico to be the first state to stand up to the federal government and say that we won’t do it."

The act would be incredibly expensive to implement. But that's not the only problem, according to Martinez.

"Establishing standards for drivers’ licenses is a states’ rights issue and this federal mandate goes way beyond what is acceptable. The act violates civil liberties and could even inhibit a citizen’s constitutional right to travel; if we implement this law you would not be able to board an airplane with a current New Mexican driver’s license.," he said.

This debate will be hot, not just in Santa Fe, but in capitols across the country as the government gets closer to implementing the act.

Posted by Kate Nash at 04:46 PM | Permalink