SSN's and DL's
by TChris
George Bush isn't the only public official who thinks he has the right to decide which laws he must follow and which he is free to ignore. Congress passed a law prohibiting states from placing social security numbers on driver's licenses, but Mississippi refuses to change.
Mississippi's driver services director, Maj. Joseph Rigby, cited a state law allowing the practice. "I believe there's a separation of state and federal government," he said. "Right now, we still have a state law on the books that I have to abide by."
Rigby apparently sees no need to seek a court's opinion of congressional power to enact the law; he'd rather disregard it. Other states are more attentive to the federal prohibition, which serves the worthy purpose of making identity theft more difficult.
At least three other states and the District of Columbia are still putting Social Security numbers on licenses but said they are reversing their policies after getting inquiries from the AP.
In Iowa, officials said they will mail new licenses and identification cards in the coming weeks to 3,770 residents who were issued cards with Social Security numbers after the federal law took effect. A department spokeswoman said federal officials never notified the state about the new requirement.
Nevada said it plans to drop the old practice in March. "We weren't aware of it," Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman Tom Jacobs said of the federal law. And Ohio's motor vehicle agency said it will pursue a change in state law to comply.
Most states are complying with regard to newly-issued or renewed licenses, but it may take years before a license bearing a social security number comes up for renewal. If you live in one of those states, take care not to misplace your license, or consider paying for your license to be reissued without your social security number.
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