With Real ID Act Looming, No Changes for Alaska Travelers -- Yet

As elements of the Real ID Act go into effect, including provisions that would prevent people from air travel or entering federal facilities, nothing will change for Alaskans -- at least at first.

Alaska isn't compliant with the Real ID Act -- a federal law that changes requirements for identification cards like driver’s licenses. The 2005 law is planned to take effect in stages and could potentially bar people from flying if they don't have Real ID-compliant identification. The Department of Homeland Security is expected to release more information on how they'll implement that requirement sometime soon.

While the law is designed to strengthen national security, some states have pushed back against it, citing privacy concerns. Only about half of all states are fully compliant with the federal law.

Regardless of what the Department of Homeland Security decides, Alaska IDs are still acceptable for air travel, according to Alaska state officials.

Alaska received a Real ID Act extension earlier this month. That extension -- good through October 2016 -- means nothing will change for Alaskans looking to get into federal facilities or for commercial air travel, according to Leslie Ridle, deputy commissioner for the Alaska Department of Administration. [Read the rest here]

 Having worked in the Legislature, chances of anything being accomplished on this issue is very slim. You Should Go Through the Motions of Applying for a Passport before October.