GOP succeeds with surprise bid for ‘secure’ Mass. IDs

BOSTON – Lawmakers in the House of Representatives attached to the annual state spending bill a section sponsored by the Republican leadership that would bring Massachusetts into compliance with the federal Real ID Act, over the objections of some Democrats who were caught off guard Wednesday by the major policy decision.
The Real ID Act, a federal post-2001 anti-terrorism initiative, requires states to begin issuing secure and compliant forms of identification that for many residents will replace their current driver's licenses.