Question: I am a Hawaii resident with a Hawaii driver’s license. I recently tried to get a Colorado state ID in person as I live there part of the year. I was told by their DMV that it is against federal law to have a driver’s license in one state and state ID in another. She said she would confiscate my Hawaii license in order to issue me a Colorado ID! Have you heard of this?
Answer: Yes, and it seems to be causing more problems now, when teleworking has taken hold amid the pandemic, allowing people to more easily split residency among states. We’ve heard from several readers who wanted to keep their driver’s license in the state where they own a car, but obtain a government-issued ID in another state to be eligible for discounts, deals and privileges available only to local residents. Those readers said they live in Hawaii for about six months a year, and in another state for the rest of the year (California, Colorado, Oregon and New York were recent examples).
Federal regulations (6 CFR Part 37.29) prohibit an individual from holding more than one state-issued federally compliant REAL ID driver’s license or ID card at a time. The federal rules don’t prevent a person from holding a REAL ID and a non-REAL ID credential simultaneously. However, Colorado doesn’t issue noncompliant state IDs to people in the United States lawfully, which you are. Therefore, obtaining a state ID there wasn’t an option unless you gave up your “gold star” Hawaii driver’s license, which is also REAL ID-compliant.
Under the federal regulations, a state must check with all other states before issuing a REAL ID identification card or driver’s license. If another REAL ID credential is found, the state “must take measures to confirm that the person has terminated or is terminating the driver’s license or REAL ID identification card issued by the prior state,” the rules say.
To be clear, these rules don’t prevent a person from simultaneously holding a REAL ID-compliant credential issued by the federal government, such as a U.S. passport or passport card, and one issued by a state, such as a driver’s license or state ID.
Q: Do we have to wear masks at the airport if we are leaving next week?
A: Yes, the mask mandate at U.S. airports is separate from state of Hawaii rules that expire Friday night. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has extended “the security directive for mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs for one month, through April 18,” the agency announced March 10.
Auwe
Auwe to scammers. I just received a call from a person falsely claiming to represent my cable company. They asked for my present bill and said they would lower it by $30 a month for two years ($720) if I paid $199 now by giving a credit card or checking account number. I didn’t fall for it. I called Spectrum and they confirmed it is a scam. — C.T.
(We’ve received similar complaints from numerous readers over the past few days. The scammers purport to be from cable, Internet and telephone service providers, so this scam targets more than Spectrum customers. Never pay over the phone for unsolicited offers. Hang up and check with your provider to find out whether an offer is genuine.)
Mahalo
Mahalo to Lisa, an employee at Longs Drugs in Kapolei who provided excellent customer service for my two granddaughters, who were shopping for makeup. She helped them choose products and shades that matched their skin tones and complemented their attire for an upcoming event. She also gave them excellent tips about how to apply the makeup. My granddaughters were delighted with the results. They learned that the right products applied correctly enhance their natural beauty without going over the top. Thanks Lisa! — Grandma E.C.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
