Will Your Maine State License Still Get You On a Plane?
According to the Bangor Daily News, even though our Maine State I.D. is not in compliance with Real I.D. yet, we can still use it to fly within the U.S. because Maine was given a one year extension that expires on October tenth.
The Real I.D. Act was set up after 9/11 to help prevent undocumented immigrants and terrorists from entering the states with U.S. drivers' licenses. Several of the 9/11 terrorists had gotten them in order to fly that day.
Some states feel that citizens give up too many civil rights through real I.D. and have strongly resisted compliance, Maine is one of those states. However, Gov. Paul LePage signed a bill last April allowing our State to come into compliance with Real I.D. by October tenth.