Representing a firm called HID Global, big government lobbyist Jim Dunlap is wheeling and dealing his way into amending HB 2569, a bill currently working its’ way through the OK legislature and which prohibits imbedding/affixing/adhering a radio frequency identification (RFID) device or RFID-type ink into or on to the OK drivers license or state-issued identification cards.
HID Global and lobbyist Jim Dunlap want to amend this bill to allow for tracking chips in the OK drivers licenses/ID cards.
HID Global, of course, just happens to make RFID chips and other tracking technology.
OK State Senator Dan Newberry, the Senate author of HB 2569, initially said he would be honored to run this bill, agreeing with the principle that people are not inventory to be tagged and tracked.
However, Senator Newberry, after a visit this past week by the special-interest-group-paid lobbyist Dunlap, now appears to waffling in his position.
Parroting the same talking points as lobbyist Dunlap, Newberry offered OK-SAFE the ‘opportunity to draft language as tight as possible’ to both prohibit RFID chips in the OK drivers license…and allow them.
Senator Newberry, OK-SAFE suggests you read the bill you agreed to carry. HB 2569, as written, is already as tight as possible on this issue by prohibiting the privacy-busting chip in the OK drivers license.
Are you now saying you want to open the door for future ‘chipping’ of the OK drivers license? Do you really want to be known as the Senator who did that?
OK-SAFE declined the offer and will not be party to an effort to open the legislative door allowing for future tracking devices to be imbedded in the OK driver license.
HB 2569 is Popular in OK:
HB 2569 sailed through the OK House on 3/4/10 with a veto-proof majority (76-13) and, due to it’s popularity, had 2 additional House members signed on as co-sponsors, bringing the total House co-sponsors to 8.
HB 2569 passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee by a hefty majority vote of 17-3 on Wednesday, 3/31/10, with title off. HB 2569, as currently written, has $0 fiscal impact.
Per Appropriations Chair Senator Mike Johnson, and Senate rules, bills with $0 fiscal impact and with title off may be moved to the Senate floor and avoid going to what is called ‘conference committee’, where members meet informally in the halls, and where shadowy amendments get added to bills, which is what the lobbyist is pusing for.
Surely Senator Newberry doesn’t want to be known as the legislator who opened the door to tracking chips in the OK drivers license?
This is avoidable. Senator Newberry has the power to avoid having HB 2569 going to a ‘conference committee’, and can move it to the Senate floor. Once on the Senate floor, Senator Newberry can move to restore the title and pass this popular bill, in its original format.
Resist the Chip!
Please call Senator Dan Newberry and ask him to stand strong on the original language in HB 2569, and move the bill to the Senate floor for a vote. Tell Senator Newberry to ‘resist the chip’.
Senator Dan Newberry: 1-405-521-5600
Sen. Dan Newberry: newberry@oksenate.gov
Follow the Money: www.followthemoney.com
OK State Ethics Commission: http://www.ok.gov/oec/
To see campaign contributions, click on Campaign Reporting, then follow the links to see the C-1R reports of campaign contributions.
OK-SAFE, Inc. Blog 