News on ID Cards, ID Badges and Photo ID Systems: 07/22/2007

Talks on ID cards for bus trips

11:28 PM

Councillors are set to consider proposals for a new-style ID card which will enable pensioners and those with disabilities to travel for free on buses and long-distance scheduled coaches.
Members of Oswestry Borough Council?s scrutiny committee are being asked to look into plans for a Smart Card scheme, which was welcomed by borough cabinet members in June.The Smart Cards will be introduced in April 2008 on the back of government plans to provide free bus travel across the UK.
Oswestry Borough Council must issue new Smart Card travel passes to those eligible by April 2008 at a cost of Ł33,200, which is to be funded by the Department of Transport.The cards give disabled people and those over 60 free travel anywhere in England at any time of day on local buses and long-distance scheduled coaches.
But the council will have to allocate any additional funding.
The council?s engineering and transport officer, Richard Jones, said: ?Under the new Department of Transport scheme, the authority must issue new Smart Card travelpasses.?

Full Article fromShropshirestar.co.uk.

Friday, July 27, 2007

ID cards spending hits Ł72m without procurement bill

11:28 PM

The long-delayed procurement for the Ł5.3bn ID cards programme stalled again just ahead of Gordon Brown becoming prime minister, with IPS chief executive James Hall admitting: ?We're not quite ready yet.?
But figures from the Identity and Passport Service?s annual report and accounts for 2006-07 confirm that spending on the National Identity Scheme (NIS) was Ł30.9m for the year to 31 March 2007 ? up from Ł27.7m the previous year.
Spending since the inception of the ID cards scheme in 2003-04 to 2005-06 has totalled Ł41.1m, according to figures issued by then home office minister Joan Ryan in June, bringing the total spend to Ł72m.

Full Article fromComputerworlduk.com.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Hundreds apply for New Haven ID cards

11:28 PM

They are willing to take the risk and wait hours. Hundreds of people, some illegal immigrants, are lining up at New Haven city hall for new municipaln ID cards that have stirred controversy across the country.
The Elm City residency card is the hottest item around. Many in line at city hall this morning admit they are illegal immigrants, anxious to obtain an American I.D. They also admit they are afraid of immigration agents finding them but are willing to take the chance.One man lined up outside city hall at 6:00 AM and still had a long wait."It's too long," he said. "That's too long the line so, maybe a 150 or 200 people in front of me."

Full Article from Wtnh.com.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Protests as US city gives ID cards to illegal immigrants

11:28 PM

Immigration is always a controversial topic in the United States, nowhere more so than in New Haven, Connecticut. It has become the first American city to issue identification cards to all its residents, including those in the US illegally. Granting access to services like libraries and parks, the cards also give illegal immigrants a chance to open bank accounts.
"I have an ID card, here in New Haven and that is the place where I have lived for 15 years so it is great, you know," said Marvin from Honduras.
"It is great just to have it. I have my family here, my house and everything."
But not everyone shares his delight. Demonstrating outside city hall, critics claim the cards will simply encourage illegal immigration, strain services and waste taxpayers' money.
"It is bad to entice any illegals to come here and stay, and there are entirely too many of them here that are taking American jobs away from American citizens," said protester Elice Marciano.

Full Article fromEuronews.net.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Councilman: NYC should have municipal ID cards like New Haven

11:28 PM

The city's 8.2 million residents, including those in the country illegally, should get municipal identification cards similar to those offered in New Haven, a city councilman says.
"The city of New York is home to 8 million people, many of them immigrants and some of them, frankly, undocumented," said Councilman Hiram Monserrate, who plans to introduce legislation on Wednesday to create the ID card. "Some of them have been residents of the city for many years, and to give them a basic ID card that's valid within the city limits only makes sense for our municipality." ?A lot of these guys are fairly partisan, so I have concerns about opening the full membership to people who are not in a traditional sense objective reporters,? John L. Micek, the president of the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents? Association, told State Legislatures magazine in January.

Full Article from Newsday.com.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Fake Bangkok Crime Suppression Police Volunteer arrested in Soi Beokeow.

11:41 PM

Pattaya Police Officers were called to room number 32 on the 3rd Floor of the Beokeow Hotel in Soi Beokeow on Sunday after complaints were received concerning the room occupant who claimed he was a special Police Volunteer working for Bangkok Police. Police conducted a raid of the room and arrested Khun Amnoi aged 41. He was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm, a two-way radio and two ID cards, one of which claimed he was a Bangkok Crime Suppression Police Volunteer. He was also in possession of a uniform and other items such as a stun gun and handcuffs. He was taken to the Police Station where it was found that he had attended a Pattaya Police Volunteer Course last year but was not an active volunteer and never received his ID badge. The ID badges in his possession were thought to be fake pending clarification from the Bangkok Crime Suppression Unit. He is now behind bars on a charge of illegally possessing a firearm.

Full Article fromPattayacitynews.net.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

House bill would make new ID cards illegal

11:26 PM

A House committee passed legislation Wednesday that would render the Pentagon?s new ID cards illegal.The Next Generation Common Access Card, developed to increase military ID card security and effectiveness, is currently given to service members and government employees only as old ID cards expire. Among other security improvements, the new CAC system removes the holder?s Social Security number from the card?s face and instead includes it in the magnetic strip.
But the ?Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2007,? passed unanimously by the House Ways and Means committee, would prohibit the government from not only displaying Social Security numbers on any ID cards, but also embedding the numbers in card magnetic strips or electronic chips.

Full Article fromMarinecorpstimes.com.

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