Question: I have to renew my driver’s license soon and am wondering, will the state be changing its driver’s licenses by the end of the year to meet the requirements of the REAL ID Act? If so, will I have to pay extra fees?
Answer: Hawaii is still working toward meeting all the requirements of the REAL ID Act for security-enhanced driver’s licenses, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the city Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division.
The deadline for states to comply was extended to Jan. 15, 2013. Those who travel or who want to enter federal buildings will need to show either REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses or state ID cards — or U.S. passports — after that.
Hawaii expects to begin implementing one facet of the act — proof that the licensee is a U.S. citizen or otherwise legally in the United States — early next year.
Although the state Legislature passed a Legal Presence Act in 2010, it couldn’t be
implemented by the four counties until the state
Department of Transportation came up with administrative rules.
Meeting the 2013 federal deadline for full compliance “is not unreasonable,” Kamimura said.
But the city is still working on establishing physical security requirements and personnel security checks at driver licensing locations; determining information technology requirements, etc., he said.
Hawaii is taking advantage of all available federal funding for providing increased security measures for both driver’s licenses and state ID cards (issued by the state Attorney General’s Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center), he said.
Meanwhile, as Kamimura explained to us previously (www.staradvertiser.com/news/20110505_Phasein_period_delays_likely_to_ease_fees_for_REAL_ID_cards.html), getting a REAL ID-compliant license is considered an option, since a U.S. passport also is accepted as a valid ID for boarding planes and entering federal buildings.
If you get a REAL ID license before your current one expires, you will be charged the fee for a duplicate license — $5 — and it will have the same expiration date as your current license.
State ID card holders would have to pay the regular full fee for a new card ($15 cash, $10 if you are 65 years or older).
Question: I am a frequent passenger on the No. 2 city bus that goes from Kalihi to Kapiolani Park. I was taken aback when I saw an ad with the message, “Boycott the Hyatt Hotel.” I don’t know what the issues are but doesn’t this type of message have no place on TheBus?
Answer: “The ad does not appear to violate any ordinance or our administrative rules,” said Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
“We realize that the ad is potentially controversial, but in the past, we have not refused such ads if they did not violate any ordinance or our administrative rules.”
Mahalo
To an honest person. On Oct. 29, I left my cosmetic bag in the women’s restroom at Pearlridge Downtown. An hour after discovering that I left it there, I went back and to my surprise, it was there on the counter, intact. I now have faith that there are honest people in this world. Mahalo to whoever found it. — J. Kimura/Aiea
Mahalo
To the anonymous angel who found my ATM card and turned it in to First Hawaiian Bank on Beretania Street on Friday, Oct. 28.
I was rushing around trying to do too many things and carelessly dropped my card after using it at the ATM. Your good deed made what would have been an otherwise stressful weekend turn into one that was positive and hopeful that there are still some wonderful individuals doing great things! — Jamie T.
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