Washington to Offer Enhanced Drivers License

Washington will become the first state to test enhanced licenses to improve security and speed at border crossings, Governor Chris Gregoire said Friday.

The licenses will feature radio frequency ID chips and other measures to ensure forgery is difficult and will also be encoded with citizenship information so they can take the place of a passport at border crossings. They will cost around $40 - less than the cost of a passport.

For now, it will be an optional choice for Washington drivers, rather than a mandated replacement.

Gregoire said the measure was necessary because of the close relationship between her state and British Columbia to the north.

"Our effort to keep our border crossing moving is particularly important with the upcoming 2009 World Police and Fire Fighter Games and the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in British Columbia," she said.

Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff endorsed the new license and said the program could be expanded elsewhere if it proves to be successful.

"Security and efficiency at our borders can be harmonized, and I appreciate Washington's leadership in realizing this goal," he said.

Gregoire said she also thought the program was a good way of striking a balance.

"This pilot project is a way to boost security at our border without hampering trade and tourism," she said.

Chertoff said he thinks the program should serve to enhance security at the border.

"The foundation of terrorist and criminal activity is the ability to move undetected," he said. "We're striking at that foundation with secure documentation requirements at our borders that enable our frontline personnel to focus more effectively on the people and things that intend to do us harm."

Washington residents will have to go through an extended process to get a license, said Antonio Ginatta, an advisor to Gregoire. This will include a personal interview and providing proof of American citizenship, he said.

Washington's new license comes in response to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which placed new rules on US travelers reentering the country from abroad.