Governors nationwide are upset that a new national law might cause states to have to raise the cost of driver's licenses. The federal REAL ID Act creates new requirements for driver's licenses and ID cards, with a goal of improving homeland security.

The practical effect of the law is more training and more work for DMV clerks, and that's why governors say license costs will soar. DMV offices will essentially become branch offices of the FBI and INS, the governors say, since clerks will have to verify applicants' citizenship and immigration status.

Marcia Nesbitt was changing her address at a DMV office in Columbia Tuesday afternoon, and says she wouldn't mind paying more for her license if it improves national security.

"Actually, I think they need to do something, get more involved in making sure we don't have to worry about the things we are worried about," she says. "I think this is just one thing that they need to do to get us on the right track."

Beth Parks, spokeswoman for the South Carolina DMV, says the agency doesn't know yet what the new law will mean for the agency or the cost of licenses, since details of the law are still being worked out in Washington.

But she says South Carolina is already ahead of a lot of other states because it's already meeting some of the law's requirements. For example, the law requires that IDs be electronically readable, and South Carolina licenses already have magnetic data strips on the back.

The law also requires states to be able to scan documents and store them digitally, which South Carolina is also doing already. And the state is already having DMV clerks check and verify immigrants' legal status.

The law doesn't go into effect until 2008. When it does, you won't be able to get on an airplane, open a bank account or use government services without one of these federally-approved ID cards. 

Some critics fear that this creates a "national ID card" that will allow the government to keep tabs on you. But supporters say it will fight terrorism, by making it harder for a terrorist to function in society or get on an airplane without being detected.

Butch Arnold of Seneca was at the DMV with his son, who was getting his driver's license. He says any cost increase for a license is relative.

"Well, if it increases national security, I could see it. But if it just tried to get money for driver's licenses, I can't see it," he says.