Minnesota House Drops Resistance to Opting Out of Real ID

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota lawmakers may be close to resolving a sticking point over upgrading driver's licenses to satisfy the federal government.

The Republican-controlled House is moving toward letting Minnesotans opt out of the Real ID requirements.

The House sponsor, Maple Grove Rep. Dennis Smith, says he and his colleagues will now support offering Minnesotans a choice between a Real ID license and a standard license.

House Republicans initially had resisted the "two-track" option. The DFL-controlled Senate has developed a bill to offer Minnesotans a choice between the two.

Smith says he would have preferred requiring the federally compliant licenses for all, but other lawmakers and interest groups felt differently.

The new measure gets its first committee hearing Wednesday. Only two weeks remain in this year's session.