(KNX 1070) -- Well, it turns out the REAL ID mess wasn't the fault of California Department of Motor Vehicle after all.
New documentation proves that the Department of Homeland Security signed off on the DMV's authentification process for Real IDs, then changed its mind after nearly 3-million of the IDs were issued.
The crux of the conflict is an accusation by DHS that they alerted CA DMV in November that its process for verifying residency did not meet federal requirements.
California REAL IDs have been available since Jan. 22, 2018, and the department said they had already issued 2.3 million IDs. Now, in an effort to comply with REAL ID regulations, the California DMV had required applicants to provide two residency documents when signing up for the ID.
Additionally, for the 2.3 million Californians who have already received their REAL ID, the DMV said they will have to provide a second residency document when their ID is up for renewal in the next five years.
Initially, the DMV simply required one residency document and the United States mail return service when issuing a REAL ID, a format adopted in Wisconsin, a state the DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said is currently in compliance with the REAL ID Act by the DHS.
However, starting in April, Californian residents will have to provide a second proof of address when applying for the REAL ID. Those residents who've already received REAL IDs will not have to have them reissued.
"As far as we know, anyone holding a Real ID currently, as long as it's valid, the feds will accept it and honor it," Jaime Garza, a D.M.V. spokesman told the New York Times. "We basically have told Californians: 'If you've got the card, don't worry about it.'"
Below are the emails provided to KNX from Jean Shiomoto regarding the DMV and REAL ID conflict.
