Will Montanans Need Passports to Fly Domestically?
I don't really fly that much. In fact, it has been about eight years since I was on a plane. The thing is, I have family in various parts of the country and friends that are even farther out. .
Most of the time I just jump in the car and enjoy the drive to wherever they live. Any more though, I just want to get there quickly and not have to be the person behind the wheel the whole way.
A plane would be just fine with me, or is it?
The Department of Homeland Security will begin enforcing what is now a 10-year-old law called the Real ID Act. This means, in order to fly anywhere, including within the United States, we will have to have proper identification and that doesn't include a drivers license -- at least for us Montanans. You will need a passport. .
A passport to fly from Montana to let's say Washington state? Yep.
I have mixed emotions about this. It is kind of a pain for me to take the time to go get a passport, again. However, if it helps in keeping flights that much more secure, then why not?
Only 22 states are in full compliance with the law. Many more have been granted extensions that will expire by October 10, 2016 (or earlier). However, four states have not received extensions, meaning their residents will be out of luck starting January 10, according to Townsquare Staff.
States in full compliance are:
- Alabama
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- DC
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Ohio
- S. Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
States receiving temporary extensions through October 10 are:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Montana
- New Jersey
- New York
- N. Carolina
- N. Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- S. Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
These four states are not in compliance at all:
- Illinois
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- Washington
How do you feel about these rules? Do they even make a difference to you?