Postponing REAL ID deadline a “no-brainer”
Monday, Mar 23, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One result of this crisis is that some government rules are being set aside because it turns out they’re not all that practical or urgent in these trying times. For instance, the FAA stopped prohibiting large hand sanitizer containers in airline carry-on luggage last week.
Along those lines, I’ve never quite understood why the REAL ID program was so all-fired necessary…
Federal law mandates that as of Oct. 1, people who want to fly domestically must have a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, which involves a tighter screening process.
But given that all driver’s-license facilities are closed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it appears thousands of people won’t be able to make that deadline. […]
The nation’s governors are on it, seeking an extension of the deadline by a year or more as the infectious respiratory disease disrupts daily life across the U.S. […]
U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, a Deerfield Democrat who pushed to extend the tax filing deadline, said postponing REAL ID is a no-brainer.
“I think there will be a lot of deadlines that need to be evaluated and REAL ID is one of them,” Schneider said.
Thoughts on other stuff that should be delayed, modified or abandoned?
- lake county democrat - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:38 am:
The census. First, the whole online thing is crazy and is going to hurt states with more poor, non-English speakers and elderly. Second, lots of young adults, not just college kids, able to work from home have gone to their parents or others.
- Tawk - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:38 am:
The graduated income tax amendment. Put it on 2022 ballot.
- Ron Burgundy - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:39 am:
I would hope Universities and financial aid agencies would extend deadlines for next school year under the circumstances. Incoming freshmen usually face a 5/1 deadline to submit a deposit to their school of choice. Gonna be hard to make that, as they often use this period to visit schools. I’ve seen one school extend to 6/1 already.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:41 am:
This would be a smart move, delaying the deadline, maybe to January 31st, 2021, allowing people to handle all our family needs, and international travel especially isn’t ramping up in the very near term, maybe even something that won’t be possible through the summer. It’s “one less” concern that can be postponed.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:43 am:
=== The graduated income tax amendment. Put it on 2022 ballot.===
A ballot in 2020 should and would include the progressive income tax.
It’s one more line on a ballot.
- efudd - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:43 am:
lake county democrat-
My son finished the census online for our family of four in about 10 minutes.
I think now more than ever we need an accurate count.
- lakeside - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:43 am:
Ah, imagine getting on a plane.
I am deeply concerned about the census. Unfortunately, low response rate is what the current government wanted, so I doubt they will do anything to mitigate the problem.
- waiting - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:44 am:
All the 60 thousand plus FOID and CCW applications are going to be delayed for who knows how long. Any subject to expiration should automatically be renewed for a year- so they can concentrate on new apps.
- Downstate - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:45 am:
Pritzker’s rule mandating that all trains operate with two engineers was stupid when enacted and even more ludicrous now. Most trains can be run remotely. But two engineers actually enhances the spread of coronavirus among the transportation sector.
If two engineers are required to operate a train, which has no steering wheel, then the same logic would dictate that semis have two drivers on board at all times as well.
- efudd - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:47 am:
DMV’s, especially in the more rural parts of the state.
Nothing against the staff at the Anna facility, courteous, professional people.
However, when the older residents realize how easy it is to re-new things on line, I think it will be hard to justify a DMV in every county down here.
My 80 year old father just renewed his sticker online for the first time due to Covid.
His reply, “Man, that was easy.”
- ChicagoVinny - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:51 am:
If Cook County suspending narcotics and pot prosecutions during a real crisis doesn’t demonstrate the uselessness of the drug war, I don’t know what does.
- Tawk - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:08 am:
==It’s one more line on a ballot.==
I’m not a genius but I know you don’t hike taxes in a recession. If you want this to pass it’s better to give some breathing room.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:12 am:
=== don’t hike taxes===
On the top 3%
You know them… the wealthy and “famous” who seemingly can get tests for Coronavirus as the “have nots” can’t even find a place to get tested.
No, it’s in the ballot.
Probably the best example of haves and have nots is healthcare and access to it. If anything this pandemic will highlight how that difference and flat tax is hurting those with less.
Oh, and 97% won’t see an increase.
- OneMan - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:12 am:
It’s nice they are extending the licensing deadline for healthcare professionals. I would suggest they also scale back some of the enhanced continuing ed requirements or push them back another year.
My wife took care of it already but some healthcare folks are going to find it hard to deal with getting the hours since the In person stuff is going to be limited.
Yes there is on-line stuff but some hours are better when done live vs read an article and answer questions.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:22 am:
- lake county democrat - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 9:38 am:
1) The Census is in the U.S. Constitution. It has to be done on a decennial basis.
2) It’s already started.
3) You can take the census online, by phone, by mail, or via census taker if you don’t use one of the other three available methods
- Annonin - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:28 am:
How the new 21 year-olds hoping to pitch their fake ids and get new issue and 16 year-olds hoping to rampage on the streets..Sad times for the youth of IL
- Benjamin - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 10:34 am:
All sorts of federal, state, and local applications for funding (historic preservation tax credits, for example) have annual deadlines, either for proposals or for responses from government agencies. Push ‘em all out three months or so, or put them off until 2021 (with funding available from 2020 and 2021 combined).
- Pyrman - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 11:00 am:
Expiring Medical Marijuana cards need to be extended, to renew requires a Doctors visit which are hard to get
- Bored Chairman - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 11:19 am:
PTC (Positive Train Control) is an federal unfunded mandate that freight and passenger rail cannot afford, especially now. It has long been a questionable requirement in terms of reliability of technology and cost-benefit analysis. Drop this immediately or doom the rail industry.
- Tawk - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 11:57 am:
==You know them… the wealthy and “famous” who seemingly can get tests for Coronavirus==
You are forgetting many small businesses who pay the individual rate. They are not rich and they are not famous.
- anon2 - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 1:03 pm:
== don’t hike taxes during a recession ==
How about lowering taxes for more than nine out of ten taxpayers? That’s what the progressive income tax would do.
- revvedup - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 2:40 pm:
State and local government should consider allowing temporary extensions to things like business licenses, vending machine and other taxables, vehicle tax stickers (not all towns have them), or going to online payment(s) (Illinois Treasurer offers a service to municipal and special districts on its website), as well as temporary procedures for updating licensing, permits, or similar items by email submission, use of State licensing status reports, etc.
- JIbba - Monday, Mar 23, 20 @ 2:49 pm:
Allow graduating seniors to be 1/4 credit short in fulfilling any requirement.