Gov. Doug Ducey said he expects the legislature will fix a problem with Arizona driver's licenses so they can be used as identification for traveling or entering federal buildings.
Right now the driver's licenses don't comply with the Real ID standards established by the Department of Homeland Security.
So, what is being done behind the scenes to make sure Arizonans will be able to travel without bringing their passport everywhere?
Ducey was briefed on the situation today and said he expects a positive conclusion to the legislature's failed attempts to make Arizona drivers compatible with federal security standards.
"The fact is that we want Arizonan's to board a plane this coming summer and I'm confident that we will be able to address that," Ducey said.
Ducey confirmed that he heard about the problem with Arizona drivers licenses for the first time on Sunday, but the legislature has been aware of it for much longer than that.
A bill by Sen. Bob Worsley, which would fix the problem and make Arizona drivers licenses complaint with federal standards, passed in the Senate, but the House failed to act.
"We could have probably finessed the old bill, but missed the deadline. But with some maneuvering by the speaker, he thought it would be easier to attach it to a bill that's already moving through," Worsley said.
Worsley hopes it gets tacked on to another bill known as ADOT's omnibus bill.
"It's a very important bill. Every year we pass one of these omnibus bills for the agency, for ADOT, and so if we can get the amendment on without any objection on the floor, in the House, it should pass," he said.
Worsley believes a crisis will be averted.
There have already been instances of Arizonans being denied access to federal buildings in Washington, D.C. because their driver's licenses did not conform to Real ID standards.
The TSA will stop accepting the current Arizona Drivers License as a form of ID at the beginning of next year.
Worsley said the worst case scenario would be if this doesn't pass by April 2nd when they're trying to end the session. But he hopes it gets done this week.
