The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee has approved legislation creating the PASS ID program to require states to issue driver’s licenses that are compliant with federal standards by 2016. The bill requires that states show they are moving in the direction of compliance by 2011.

PASS ID will replace the 2005 REAL ID law, which federal and state officials criticized as unworkable. The bill is expected to be brought to the Senate floor very soon for a vote. Legislation must be enacted by December in order to repeal the deadlines created under REAL ID.

States would be required to verify the authenticity of birth records beginning six years after PASS ID regulations are issued by the Department of Homeland Security. The requirement would be conditioned on the department certifying that doing so it technically feasible and can be done in a way that protects privacy.