DECATUR - National security concerns prompted Congress to pass the REAL ID Act in May, but the mandates placed on the states to come into compliance with the act by May 2008 are raising concerns among state and local government officials.

The REAL ID Act requires states to adopt minimum standards for drivers licenses and identification cards, including having digital photographs and signatures on each document as well as making them readable by machine, said Jim Burns, inspector general for the Illinois Secretary of State's Office.

Congress has yet to determine rules for implementing the act with no indication whether that will occur in six weeks or six months, Burns said Wednesday during a news conference about REAL ID at the Decatur Driver Services Facility, 3149 N. Woodford St. The lack of rules is slowing action by the states to comply, but they can't simply sit and wait because time is too precious, he said.

"Some states may not be ready by May 2008," he said.

There was a conference in Chicago last week where officials of various states met to work out how best to proceed to meet the federal mandates, Burns said.

"The secretary of state's office will have to verify all the information on licenses with the source documents such as birth certificates from county clerks or Social Security numbers from the Social Security Administration," Burns said. "The most difficult question is how to verify the date of birth. All you have is a footprint on a birth certificate. It's a technical question. County clerks are struggling with that, too."

Macon County Clerk Steve Bean said even prior to the federal act, his office had been asking for identification from people requesting copies of any vital record. He said confirmation is even required from people who purchase such records online.

The secretary of state's office has done more than anyone to assist merchants and local officials to know what to look for in terms of fake identifications, Bean said.

Burns said to fully implement the REAL ID Act, many computer systems will have to talk to each other so officials at all levels can perform background checks. He said the federal government has promised financial help with implementing the act, but the amounts he has heard mentioned would be woefully inadequate.

No estimated has been made by state officials on what implementation will cost Illinois, Burns said.

Another problem may be taking everyone's picture since a full, frontal photo will be required, Burns said. Some people currently are exempt from license photos for religious reasons, but whatever guidelines Congress decrees will have to be followed, he said.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@;herald-review.com or 421-7973.