60-484.04. Operators' licenses; state identification cards; applicant present evidence of lawful status.

(1) The Legislature finds and declares that section 202(c)(2)(B)(i) through (x) of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13, enumerated categories of individuals who may demonstrate lawful status for the purpose of eligibility for a federally secure motor vehicle operator's license or state identification card. The Legislature further finds and declares that it was the intent of the Legislature in 2011 to adopt the enumerated categories by the passage of Laws 2011, LB215. The Legislature declares that the passage of Laws 2015, LB623, is for the limited purpose of reaffirming the original legislative intent of Laws 2011, LB215. Except as provided in section 60-4,144 with respect to operators of commercial motor vehicles, before being issued any other type of operator's license or a state identification card under the Motor Vehicle Operator's License Act, the department shall require an applicant to present valid documentary evidence that he or she has lawful status in the United States as enumerated in section 202(c)(2)(B)(i) through (x) of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13. Lawful status may be shown by:

(a) A valid, unexpired United States passport;

(b) A certified copy of a birth certificate filed with a state office of vital statistics or equivalent agency in the individual's state of birth;

(c) A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) issued by the United States Department of State, Form FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545;

(d) A valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551) issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services;

(e) An unexpired employment authorization document (EAD) issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Form I-766 or Form I-688B;

(f) An unexpired foreign passport with a valid, unexpired United States visa affixed accompanied by the approved I-94 form documenting the applicant's most recent admittance into the United States;

(g) A Certificate of Naturalization issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Form N-550 or Form N-570;

(h) A Certificate of Citizenship, Form N-560 or Form N-561, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security;

(i) A driver's license or identification card issued in compliance with the standards established by the REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13, division B, section 1, 119 Stat. 302; or

(j) Such other documents as the director may approve.

(2)(a) If an applicant presents one of the documents listed under subdivision (1)(a), (b), (c), (d), (g), or (h) of this section, the verification of the applicant's identity in the manner prescribed in section 60-484 will also provide satisfactory evidence of lawful status.

(b) If the applicant presents one of the identity documents listed under subdivision (1)(e), (f), or (i) of this section, the verification of the identity documents does not provide satisfactory evidence of lawful status. The applicant must also present a second document from subsection (1) of this section or documentation issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or other federal agencies, such as one of the types of Form I-797 used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, demonstrating that the applicant has lawful status as enumerated in section 202(c)(2)(B)(i) through (x) of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13.

(3) An applicant may present other documents as designated by the director as proof of lawful status as enumerated in section 202(c)(2)(B)(i) through (x) of the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, Public Law 109-13. Any documents accepted shall be recorded according to a written exceptions process established by the director.

Source:Laws 2011, LB215, § 7; Laws 2014, LB983, § 12; Laws 2015, LB623, § 1; Laws 2020, LB944, § 53.