Orca task force makes its final recommendations to Governor Inslee (video)

Les Purse (left) and Stephanie Solien of the Southern Resident Orca Task Force speaking at a news conference at the Seattle Aquarium on Friday, November 16, 2018. (WA State DOL image)

(Seattle) The effort to save a small community of killer whales from extinction took a significant step forward Friday when the Southern Resident Orca Task Force released its final recommendations to Washington Governor Jay Inslee.

According to the governor’s website:

The report details potential options to address the major threats to Southern Residents, including prey availability, toxic contaminants and disturbance from noise and vessel traffic.The governor and staff will assess each recommendation for the most impact in the short and long-term.

The governor will roll out his budget and policy priorities in mid-December for consideration during the 2019 Legislative Session.

The report features 36 recommendations largely aimed at increasing the numbers of Chinook salmon for the orcas to eat, reducing noise from boats, and better protecting the orcas from pollution.

The Southern Resident Orca Task Force released its final recommendations during a news conference at the Seattle Aquarium.  You can watch that entire news conference in the video below.

Additional info: 

On March 14, 2018, Governor Inslee signed Executive Order 18-02, Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery and Task Force. In that order, Gov. Inslee asked the Department of Licensing to assist with outreach efforts supporting the recovery of the Southern Resident Orcas.

National Teen Driver Safety Week now underway

Click image for larger view of “the 6 rules.”

Each year, more than 100 young people die on Washington roadways. Teen Driver Safety Week, October 21 – 27, aims to help reduce those numbers while raising awareness about teen driving nationwide.

It’s a great opportunity for parents to focus on helping their teens learn how to become better drivers.

The Department of Licensing will be sharing helpful information about teen driver safety on its Twitter and Facebook pages throughout this week.

DOL’s social media will be sharing information about distracted driving, seat belt use, underage drinking, driving under the influence of marijuana, rules for the road, and more.

You can also learn more about teen driver safety on this fact sheet. The sheet includes steps parents can take to help teens become better drivers.

The state’s Target Zero campaign also has this helpful info graphic for parents, too.

Washington State has met all requirements to comply with REAL ID Act

On Oct. 1, 2020, the REAL ID law goes into effect in Washington.

The Department of Homeland Security has determined that Washington State is fully compliant with federal REAL ID requirements, which means standard driver licenses and ID cards will continue to be accepted for boarding a domestic flight through September of 2020.

It’s important to know that beginning October 1, 2020, individuals will need to present federally acceptable identification at a TSA checkpoint in order to board a domestic flight.

“Washington residents have two years to look at your identity document options and determine which one best fits your lifestyle,” said Teresa Berntsen, DOL Director.  “We created the ID2020 campaign to help residents educate themselves on the various options, and encourage them not to wait until 2020 to make a decision.”

There are a variety of identity documents that can be used to board an airplane or enter secure federal facilities, including:

• U.S. or foreign Passport
• U.S. Passport Card
• Military ID
• DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• Enhanced driver license
• One of several other types of federally approved forms of identification (tsa.gov).

Washington’s enhanced driver licenses (EDLs) and enhanced ID (EIDs) cards are REAL ID compliant, and valid for air travel within the United States and can be used to cross the borders of Canada and Mexico by land or sea. Some commonly needed documents to get an EDL/EID are certified birth certificate, U.S. passport or military ID.  A full list of document options to obtain an enhanced driver license or ID card is available on the DOL website.

The enhanced driver license or ID card is optional. A valid U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card, military ID, or other federally approved identification can be used to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities.  If a resident has another federally approved identification, does not fly, or does not plan to visit a military base or certain federal facilities such as prisons, they do not need an enhanced card and will have the option to apply for a standard driver license or ID card.

Visit ID2020WA.com, to view informational videos, take a quiz to help determine which ID you need, and learn more about REAL ID.

For more information about REAL ID and what it means for Washington, visit the DOL website.

DOL signs agreements with four Latin American General Consulates regarding acceptable proof of identity

Department of Licensing Director Teresa Berntsen, and four Consulates Generals of Seattle representing El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru, signed an agreement this morning that allows the acceptance of their national ID cards and consulate cards to be used as proof of identity when seeking a Washington State driver license or identification card.

“Today marks a milestone in the Department of Licensing’s efforts to improve customer service and build relationships of trust,” said Berntsen. “We understand the importance of establishing identity when you become a resident of our state.  Working in partnership, we were able to create a process to make it happen.”

The agreements were signed by Elgardo de Jesús Chavez, Consulate of Honduras, Claudia Gatica de Moreno, Consulate of Guatemala, Miguel Ángel Velásquez Garcia, Consulate of Perú, and Clary Monzón, Consulate of El Salvador.

Left to right: DOL – Brad Benfield, Assistant Director; Meghann McCann, Deputy Director; Beau Perschbacher, Policy and Legislative Director; Teresa Berntsen, Director; Elgardo de Jesús Chavez, Consulate of Honduras; Claudia Gatica de Moreno, Consulate of Guatemala; Miguel Ángel Velásquez Garcia, Consulate of Perú; Clary Monzón, Consulate of El Salvador; and DOL Outreach Manager Rafael Estevez.

Department of Licensing launches a new, fully modernized driver licensing system

The Washington State Department of Licensing launched a modernized driver licensing system over Labor Day weekend. Customers will experience slower service during this transitional time.

The new system will improve services to citizens, agency business partners, and the state’s transportation system. State and federal agencies that rely on DOL data for public safety, licenses, identification cards, and revenue will also benefit from the new system.

This is the second in a series of overhauls to DOL’s legacy systems.  The first phase, which updated vehicle licensing systems, was successfully completed in December 2016.  A third project is planned to address the agency’s Business and Professional Licensing systems.

For more information about DRIVES, visit http://www.dol.wa.gov/about/what-is-drives.html.

We’re Closed

The Department of Licensing’s transition to a new and improved computer system is underway, and all driver licensing offices are closed today through the Labor Day weekend. All vehicle licensing offices will be unable to do vehicle transactions and most online services are unavailable through Monday, September 3.

All of these impacted areas—driver licensing offices, vehicle transactions, and online services—will be available on Tuesday, September 4.

DOL apologizes for any inconvenience these closures may cause and we look forward to serving you better than ever before, thanks to our state’s new, user-friendly computer system for driver and vehicle services.

For more information, please visit dol.wa.gov.

Update — DOL office closures and online services temporary shutdown is happening this week

Click for larger view.

The Department of Licensing’s transition to a new and improved computer system is underway.

It started with some of our online services beginning to shutdown on Sunday, August 26.  Those online services will return on Monday, September 4.

Next up?  Two major developments begin this Friday:

All driver licenses offices will be closed this Friday, August 31, through Monday, September 3.

And all vehicle licensing offices will be unable to do vehicle transactions from August 31 through Monday, September 3.

All of these impacted areas—driver licensing offices, vehicle transactions, and online services—will be available on Tuesday, September 4.

DOL apologizes for any inconvenience these closures may cause.

We also look forward to serving you better than ever before, thanks to our state’s new, user-friendly computer system for driver and vehicle services.

For more information, please visit dol.wa.gov.