Real ID bill passes House

“This is a federal mandate,” HB453’s primary cosponsor, Rep. Sal Santoro, R-Florence, told the House Transportation Committee before its approval on Mar. 3. “It’s not Transportation (Cabinet), it’s not us in the legislature. I just want everyone to know that.”

The bill states that regional Real ID offices are under the oversight of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and would transition all driver’s licensing, permits, and personal ID card responsibilities from Kentucky’s circuit court clerk offices to the Cabinet by June 30, 2022.

Two pilot locations for issuance of the new voluntary travel ID opened in central Kentucky in 2019, followed by the rollout of regional Real ID offices in recent months. The Cabinet expects Kentucky to have 18-24 regional offices statewide at full implementation.