The measures by Reps. Diane Rice, R-Harrison, and Brady Wiseman, D-Bozeman, are nearly identical. Rice's won unanimous tentative approval, while Wiseman's was endorsed on a 99-1 vote. Final votes are scheduled Thursday.
"We're asking Congress to recognize that they have made a mistake, and to undo it," Wiseman said. "The cards aren't secure, with no prevention for ID theft. They won't protect us from terrorism."
"When a federal law is clearly repugnant to our constitution, we have the authority to nullify it, and that's what we're doing here today," Rice said.
The Maine Legislature approved a resolution last week asking Congress to repeal the act, and similar measures are pending in other states.
The Real ID Act takes effect next year. It grew out of a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission to incorporate common security features into state driver's licenses to prevent tampering or counterfeiting. States will also be responsible for verifying the legitimacy of documents used to obtain a license, such as a birth certificates or green cards.
Without such federally approved licenses, people would not be allowed to board an airplane or enter a federal building.
States would also be responsible for funding the changes, which Wiseman said would cost Montana about $2.8 million.
Rice's bill is House Bill 384. Wiseman's bill is House Bill 287.
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