Baltimore Sun

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration called on the General Assembly yesterday to require that applicants for state drivers’ licenses prove they are legal U.S. residents.

The development adds impetus to a proposal that has languished in the face of protests from immigrant-rights activists.

O’Malley indicated last year that Maryland would comply with a federal security law known as Real ID, but state officials haven’t moved forward with implementing a “legal presence” requirement. They had been waiting to see whether federal officials would reverse the policy after the election of President Barack Obama.

State Transportation Secretary John D. Porcari told lawamakers yesterday that he doesn’t anticipate a reversal and warned of an impending deadline for compliance. He told lawmakers that if they failed to act, they run the risk of Marylanders not being able to use their drivers’ licenses to board a plane or enter a federal building, beginning next year.

Maryland is one of four states, and the only one east of the Rocky Mountains, that doesn’t require license applicants to prove legal residency. O’Malley, at a separate appearance, said that he discussed the matter with governors during a weekend meeting and concluded Maryland could not be out of step with most other jurisdictions.