via Ron Calzone, Missouri First

The Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee voted to “do pass” HB 2235 and bring Missouri into compliance with the REAL ID Act. The next step is in the Select Committee on General Laws, which will probably vote on it Tuesday and pass it on to the full House, unless we convince them otherwise.

BACKGROUND

In 2005, the federal government enacted the REAL ID Act, an unprecedented attempt to set up a national ID card like those found in despotic countries around the world. In the name of “security” the federal government wanted to employ the latest technology to track law-abiding citizens.

State legislatures across the Republic responded by passing anti-REAL ID laws that forbade their state’s bureaucrats from complying with the federal program. The representatives and senators in Missouri’s 2009 General Assembly were among those standing up for their constituent’s rights when they passed HB 361.

Call it “nullification” or whatever you please, the success of HB 361 cannot be denied. In 2013 it was used to expose the Missouri Department of Revenue’s attempt to illegally implement the REAL ID Act, and the federal government has repeatedly pushed back the enforcement of the act in the face of numerous states’ refusal to cooperate.

Without grassroots demands for HB 361, it would have never passed.

A NEW GROUP OF OFFICE HOLDERS

Since then, the resolve among Missouri office holders to resist federal overreach seems to have diminished. I think that is the direct result of less direct involvement by the grassroots. We aren’t “squeaking” as loud as we once did in an effort to educate office holders replaced by term limits, so we aren’t getting much grease!

Well, it’s time to not just squeak, but do some yelling!

After a new round of saber rattling by the feds – claims that Missouri citizens won’t be allowed on airplanes or in federal buildings – the House Emerging Issues Committee has voted to “do pass” HB 2235, and bring Missouri into compliance with the REAL ID Act. HB 2235 claims to give you a choice between the existing driver’s license and a REAL ID compliant version, but by enacting the bill all accountability will be undermined – it will be harder than ever to prove that Missouri bureaucrats aren’t breaking the law, as they did in 2013 when they illegally released the entire database of 163,000 conceal carry permit holders to federal authorities.

EVERYTHING MAY CHANGE AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS

Federal authorities have pushed the enforcement of REAL ID back yet another two years. There will be a new president and we’ll have a new governor in January, and that means everything could change. Please tell the Select Committee on General Laws to stand in firm support of Missouri’s law prohibiting cooperation with REAL ID.

Tell them to show the same backbone their predecessors displayed back in 2009!

Tell them that there are already other identification cards available to use to gain access to federal property and flights.

Jones, Caleb, Chair (R)
Caleb.Jones@house.mo.gov 573-751-2134

Mathews, Kirk, Vice Chair (R)
Kirk.Mathews@house.mo.gov 573-751-0562

Carpenter, Jon, (D)
Jon.Carpenter@house.mo.gov 573-751-4787

Burlison, Eric (R)
Eric.Burlison@house.mo.gov 573-751-0136

Curtman, Paul (R)
Paul.Curtman@house.mo.gov 573-751-3776

Engler, Kevin (R)
Kevin.Engler@house.mo.gov 573-751-3455

Haahr, Elijah (R)
Elijah.Haahr@house.mo.gov 573-751-2210

LaFaver, Jeremy (D)
Jeremy.LaFaver@house.mo.gov 573-751-2437

McCreery, Tracy (D)
Tracy.McCreery@house.mo.gov 573-751-7535

Sommer, Chrissy (R)
Chrissy.Sommer@house.mo.gov 573-751-1452