by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern
May 7, 2025

Though Wednesday is the enforcement date for the national REAL ID law, air travelers without the form of identification may still be able to fly — a concession drawing praise from a Kentucky lawmaker.

Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, had sent Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a letter asking for more time to comply with the law. On Tuesday, Higdon said he appreciated Noem’s “showing common sense and flexibility” by allowing travelers without a REAL ID to still fly after clearing additional security screenings.

Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 as a way to bolster security screenings at airports. Most of the 9/11 hijackers boarded commercial planes using fraudulent U.S. driver’s licenses and state IDs. The law was originally intended to go into effect in 2008 but has been delayed several times.

Kentucky began rolling out REAL ID drivers’ licenses in 2019 starting with a pilot program. Licenses compliant with the federal law require applicants to provide additional documentation, such as a birth certificate, Social Security card and two proofs of residency.

REAL ID or another compliant form of identification is also now required to enter military bases or federal buildings that require it.

As Wednesday’s deadline approached, Kentucky’s driver’s licensing regional offices have had long lines. In addition to the REAL ID implementation, a state law went into effect this year requiring drivers to pass a vision test when renewing their licenses. 

Noem said during a U.S. House hearing Tuesday that airport travelers without a REAL ID will face additional security screenings but may still fly.

Instead of REAL ID driver’s licenses, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will also accept U.S. passports, passport cards, global entry cards or military ID from those boarding commercial flights.  

Last month, 28 Republican members of the Kentucky Senate sent Noem a letter asking for a delay in enforcing the REAL ID law. Higdon, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, wrote at the time that “Kentucky is simply not fully prepared for complete implementation.” A spokesperson for the Republican caucus said that while it did not receive a formal response from Homeland Security, Noem and the Trump administration were aware of the letter. 

On Tuesday, Higdon issued a statement thanking Noem. “Her remarks today bring peace of mind to folks who’ve dealt with long lines, limited appointments at regional offices, or confusion about what’s required,” Higdon said. “Kentuckians who haven’t been able to get a REAL ID can now feel confident they’ll still be able to fly. That was one of the biggest concerns my colleagues and I had as the May 7 enforcement approached.”

Higdon added that the flexibility allows Kentucky additional time to carry out a law that passed earlier this year allowing third-party license renewals. That takes effect on June 27. 

Last week, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced a “Skip the Line” option for drivers who want to renew their licenses remotely. A press release from the governor’s office said that some Kentuckians who want to upgrade to a REAL ID license may still need to visit an office in person. 

Kentuckians may still upgrade to a REAL ID after Wednesday’s enforcement date. 

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

The post REAL ID deadline is here but travelers who missed it may still be able to fly appeared first on kentuckylantern.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

The content primarily reflects a Center-Right perspective by highlighting the views and actions of Republican lawmakers, particularly Sen. Jimmy Higdon and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who are portrayed favorably for their flexibility on REAL ID enforcement. The article emphasizes conservative concerns about practicality and preparedness, aligning with typical Republican positions on government regulation and individual convenience. The mention of Democratic Governor Andy Beshear’s efforts is brief and neutral, indicating balanced reporting but with a slight lean towards the Republican viewpoint and actions.

SUMMARY: Martina Warner, a 911 operator, calmly assisted a semi driver hanging off I-65 during a harrowing 18-minute call. The driver, fearing for his life, pleaded for help as he dangled over a 15-foot drop. Warner, although scared, reassured him that Louisville’s first responders had successfully rescued someone in a similar situation before. She remained calm and urged the driver not to jump. When responders rescued him, Warner felt rewarded by their success. A member of the Kentucky National Guard, she expressed gratitude for being part of such a crucial rescue operation.

Louisville 911 operator recounts moments she was on the phone with semi driver hanging off I-65

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Source

by Shauneen Miranda, Kentucky Lantern
May 6, 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday blasted the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, underscoring the impact of the dizzying array of cuts, overhauls and proposed changes to the agency on students, families and educators.

Sen. Patty Murray, who hosted the forum in a U.S. Senate hearing room alongside several Democratic colleagues, said Trump is “essentially bulldozing the Department of Education, regardless of who depends on it, regardless of who is still inside, and regardless of the very loud outcry from parents and educators and students about this.”

The Washington state Democrat brought in education advocates and leaders, who emphasized the importance of the department in delivering on federal resources for public education, investigating civil rights complaints and helping students cheated by predatory institutions.

Trump and his administration have sought to dramatically reshape the federal role in education, including an executive order calling on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to facilitate the closure of her own department, the gutting of more than 1,300 employees at the agency, threats to revoke funds for schools that use diversity, equity and inclusion practices and a crackdown on “woke” higher education.

‘Unnecessary confusion and chaos’

Angélica Infante-Green, Rhode Island’s commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said she and colleagues who lead state education across the country have spent a great deal of time trying to decipher the intent of Trump’s executive orders and the department’s directives and policy changes.

“They seem unclear and cause unnecessary confusion and chaos for all of us,” Infante-Green said. “While the impact of the confusion may be hard to quantify,  what is clear is that students and families and educators are the losers in this new paradigm.”

Denise Forte, CEO of the nonprofit policy and advocacy group EdTrust, said “most urgently, we are alarmed by the mass firing of over half of the department staff.”

“This isn’t reform — it is sabotage,” Forte said, pointing to the layoffs hitting wide swaths of the department, particularly in the Office for Civil Rights, Office of Federal Student Aid and Institute of Education Sciences.

“With the Office for Civil Rights now severely understaffed, civil rights complaints will skyrocket while response capacity plummets,” she said.

Students with disabilities 

The cuts at the agency and Trump’s proposal in March that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “will be handling special needs” have sparked worries among disability advocates over whether the department can carry out its responsibilities to serve students with disabilities.

Diane Willcutts, director of Education Advocacy, said she’s been getting “panicked phone calls from parents of children with disabilities who are wondering, ‘What does this all mean?’”

Willcutts has worked for over two decades in Connecticut and Massachusetts helping families of children with disabilities navigate the education process.

“I think everyone’s shell-shocked, and we’re looking for direction — how can we be helpful to you in order to protect the U.S. Department of Education?” she said. “I know there’s this assumption that ‘Oh, the states will take care of it.’ That is absolutely not the case, I can tell you in my state that is not what is happening right now, and so, as I said, there’s a level of panic but we’re looking for direction.”

Trump’s budget request

Meanwhile, Trump also released a budget request last week that calls for $12 billion in spending cuts at the department.

Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin said the budget includes “devastating cuts to many critical programs,” and that the proposal “comes at a time when too many students are chronically absent and achieving at levels that will not set them up for success.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Trump administration is “cutting so many things — don’t feel alone, Department of Education.”

“They don’t know what they’re doing about just about anything, and they want to cut everything, but to cut education, which has been sacrosanct in America, is just awful,” the New York Democrat said.

Schumer said Tuesday’s “spotlight hearing” is just one in a series Senate Democrats will be hosting in response to Trump’s cuts to the department.

Trump administration officials said the outrage was misplaced. 

“If Senate Democrats were truly interested in fighting for parents, students, and teachers as they claim, where was their outrage over this year’s dismal math and reading scores? Don’t get it twisted,” Savannah Newhouse, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education, said in a statement shared with States Newsroom.

Senate Democrats “are fighting President Trump’s education agenda for one reason: to protect the bloated bureaucracy that has consistently failed our nation’s students,” Newhouse said.

“By returning education authority to the states, President Trump and Secretary McMahon will help every American child — including those in public schools — to have the best shot at a quality education.” 

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

The post U.S. Senate Dems launch forums to spotlight ‘bulldozing’ of Department of Education appeared first on kentuckylantern.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

The content presents a critical perspective of the Trump administration’s education policies, highlighting Democratic lawmakers’ and education advocates’ concerns and opposition. It portrays Trump’s actions as harmful, confusing, and driven by budget cuts, emphasizing negative impacts on students, educators, and marginalized groups. While it includes responses from Trump administration officials defending the changes, the overall tone and framing align more with a Center-Left viewpoint, focusing on the value of federal education oversight and protecting related programs against conservative budget cuts and restructuring efforts.