[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60104-60105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24330]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. DHS-2019-0056]


Automated Solutions for the Submission of REAL ID Source 
Documents

AGENCY:  Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security is issuing this request 
for information to receive input on technologies that could assist 
states and their residents in the digital submission, receipt, and 
authentication of documents and information applicants must provide 
when applying for a REAL ID compliant driver's license or 
identification card.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
December 9, 2019. Comments received after that date will be considered 
to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2019-0056 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. See the ``Public Participation and Request for 
Comments'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for further 
instructions on submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Yonkers, Director, Identity and 
Credentialing/REAL ID Program, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 
Office of Policy, Strategy, and Plans, Washington, DC 20528, 202-447-
3274.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is 
issuing this request for information to receive input on technologies 
that could assist states and their residents in the digital submission, 
receipt, and authentication of documents and information applicants 
must provide when applying for a REAL ID compliant driver's license or 
identification card.

I. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    Interested persons are invited to comment on this notice by 
submitting written comments, data, or views using the method identified 
in the ADDRESSES section. DHS encourages you to submit comments through 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. If you 
cannot submit your material by using https://www.regulations.gov, 
contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this notice for alternate instructions. All comments received will be 
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov.

II. Background and Purpose

    The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, prohibits federal 
agencies from accepting for official purposes, a state issued driver's 
license or identification card, unless the state is meeting minimum 
security requirements in the Act and implementing regulations. The REAL 
ID Act requires applicants for a REAL ID-compliant license or card to 
present certain identity, and citizenship or lawful status, 
documentation and for states to verify and retain copies of that 
information.
    The REAL ID Act does not specify the mode for presenting the 
various identity and lawful status and citizenship documentation. 
However, the regulations include requirements for document 
authentication and in-person application. DHS is interested in all 
substantive business and technical proposals that could streamline REAL 
ID application requirements in a manner that continues to ensure the 
secure and reliable transmission and receipt of applicant information.
    DHS is therefore seeking public comment on how the development and 
deployment of additional capabilities or technologies can assist in 
streamlining the process for individuals to submit the required 
documentation and information when applying for a REAL ID-compliant 
driver's license or identification card. We are interested in concepts 
that reduce application burden, processing time, and administrative 
workload, and that effectively ensure security, protect privacy, and 
manage risk of fraud. We are also interested in concepts that identify 
the extent to which the additional capabilities or technologies will 
increase the adoption rate of individuals obtaining REAL ID-compliant 
identification. In addition, we are interested in any cost data on the 
purchase, installation, or implementation of these concepts.
    DHS requests comments from the public and interested stakeholders--
including entities engaged in the development, testing, and integration 
of these concepts--for near, medium, and long-term solutions.
    DHS will afford significantly greater weight to feedback that 
identifies specific capabilities and technologies, includes actionable 
data, or provides viable alternatives that meet statutory objectives 
and regulatory requirements. Feedback that simply states that a

[[Page 60105]]

stakeholder feels strongly that DHS make a change, but that does not 
contain specific information on how the proposed change would 
streamline the process or reduce burdens, is much less useful to DHS. 
DHS is looking for new information or new economic (i.e., cost) data to 
support any proposed changes.
    DHS will review all submissions to determine the viability of 
specific proposals to meet the objective of streamlining the 
application process in accordance with the REAL ID Act and implementing 
regulations. DHS may contact individual submitters for more 
information. DHS reserves the right to use and share the information 
submitted with other federal agencies for purposes related to 
administering the REAL ID Act and implementing regulations.

III. Lists of Questions for Commenters

    We provide the below list of non-exhaustive questions to assist in 
the formulation of comments. However, we do not intend for the list to 
restrict the issues that commenters may address.
    1. What capabilities or technologies are available to allow 
applicants for REAL ID-compliant credentials to submit digitally, or 
have digitally submitted on their behalf by a trusted third party, the 
required documents and information to state driver's licensing 
agencies?
    2. How would states use such capabilities or technologies to 
authenticate the validity of submitted documents and information?
    3. How would states use such capabilities or technologies to verify 
an applicant's identity from the documents and information submitted?
    4. What would be the cost to a stakeholder to purchase, install, or 
implement these capabilities or technologies?
    5. What is the technical readiness level of the potential 
capabilities or technologies, where have they already been deployed, 
for what purposes, and what are the performance results?
    6. How would states use such capabilities or technologies to ensure 
that the information is submitted by the genuine applicant?
    7. How would the capabilities or technologies protect against fraud 
or identity theft?
    8. How would such capabilities or technologies protect the privacy 
of any submitted personally identifiable information?
    9. What, if any, new risks may result from the use of these new 
capabilities or technologies and how can they be effectively be 
managed?
    10. What security standards should the described capabilities or 
technologies meet?
    11. How would the capabilities or technologies be integrated into 
existing state application processes and systems?
    12. How quickly could the capabilities or technologies be developed 
and deployed by the states?
    13. How will the new capabilities or technologies increase the 
adoption rate of individuals obtaining REAL ID-compliant 
identification?
    The Department issues this notice solely for information and 
program planning purposes. Responses to this notice do not bind DHS to 
any further actions related to the response.

    Dated: November 1, 2019.
Chad Wolf,
Senior Official Performing the Duties of Under Secretary, Office of 
Strategy, Policy, and Plans, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2019-24330 Filed 11-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-9M-P