Mayor Mufi Hannemann shook hands with Richard Barth, right, assistant secretary for policy development at the Department of Homeland Security, during his trip to Washington today. Sen. Daniel Akaka, left, who chairs the subcommittee the mayor had to testify before, and an aide and staff member look on. Mayor's Office   Mayor Mufi Hannemann testified before a U.S. Senate panel today, telling members that a new program setting national standards for driver's licenses would be costly and a burden to Honolulu. Mayor's Office

The new program requires driver's license issuers - in most cases states, but in counties in Hawai'i - to better verify identities and issue more secure licenses to thwart terrorism.

Hannemann told a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee that the one-time cost to implement the system would be $7.67 million and the ongoing expenses during the first five years of the program would total about $25.55 million.

"We ask that these costs be borne by the federal government," he said.

Even with federal help, Hannemann said the time limits for implementing the program and the required electronic verification systems, "will place an enormous burden on the driver licensing staff and be a tremendous inconvenience to the public."

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, the subcommittee chairman, said Hawai'i isn't alone in having problems with the program.

"From its inception, Real ID has been controversial and criticized by both ends of the political spectrum," said Akaka, sponsor of a bill replacing the current law with a new one calling for negotiation with the states and others and creating more realistic guidelines. "The (current 'Real ID') act places a significant unfunded mandate on states and poses a real threat to privacy and civil liberties."

Two states - Maine and Idaho - have passed legislation opting out of complying with the new program.

In Hawai'i, the state Senate passed a resolution calling for the repeal of Real ID provisions that "violate the rights and liberties" guaranteed by the state and U.S. constitutions and create unfunded mandates for the state, Akaka said.