March 26, 2007

Washington State Pilot Tests RFID-enabled Licenses

High-security driver’s licenses aimed at letting U.S. citizens return from Canada without a passport could be adopted elsewhere if Washington state’s experiment works, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said. The pilot project, signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire and formally approved by Chertoff on Friday, calls for Washington to begin issuing new ”enhanced” driver’s licenses in January. They will look much like conventional driver’s licenses, but will be loaded with proof of citizenship and other information that can be easily scanned at the border.

Wash. to test ’enhanced’ licenses that would let residents travel passport-free to Canada, Associated Press, March 24, 2007.