NJ Drops TRU-ID Program For Driver's Licenses

By David Madden

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - New Jersey's plan to impose more stringent requirements for new driver's licenses has been withdrawn by the Motor Vehicle Commission, after they reached an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union, which took the plan to court.

The ACLU convinced a judge to put the TRU I-D plan on hold because one, the state didn't follow its own rules to make changes and two, the stricter guidelines replacing the current six point system were not all that secure.

"It asks people to turn over our most sensitive documents, to have copies made of them, and to be kept on file without any protections," said ACLU legal director Ed Barocas, making them ripe for identity theft.

The agreement keeps New Jersey on the system created in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. By the way, that's what most states are using, despite federal pressure to change. Should the MVC decide to go for the more stringent system, they'll be required to follow the law which includes giving enough notice for the public to chime in.