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New Jersey Digitizes Driver's Licenses
by Chloe Albanesius
Digital driver's licenses are available statewide in New Jersey six weeks ahead of schedule. The state's previous non-photograph paper and laminated photo licenses, which were easily duplicated, will be replaced by digital versions and are now available in all 45 Motor Vehicle Commission offices.
"It's vital that our customers have a secure license as quickly as possible," commission Chief Administrator Sharon Harrington said in a release.
The department started issuing its digital licenses Jan. 20 and distributed its 250,000th license Monday. Gov. James McGreevey, a Democrat, hailed the process as "another milestone in our ongoing reform" of the commission.
Customers no longer will be able to renew their licenses via mail under the digital system. The state has 5.7 million licensed drivers.
Alaska's division of motor vehicles started issuing its digital licenses on Monday, handing the first one to Lt. Gov. Loren Leman.
In other New Jersey news, officials on Monday unveiled the state's new forensic science center. The center will house a DNA and forensics lab and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. The computer lab will be the first to focus only on analyzing computer evidence statewide.
The center will provide "state-of-the-art DNA and computer forensic capabilities to solve open cases," Attorney General Peter Harvey said in a release. "We are better able to coordinate and implement critical crime-fighting procedures such as DNA collection and the development of the statewide DNA database that will rival fingerprint collection as the forensic science of the future," added Vaughn McKoy, director of the division of criminal justice.
And New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey announced Wednesday that the state's "do not call" list against unwanted telemarketing is fully effective. The law requires telemarketers to register annually with the state's Division of Consumer Affairs, disclose whether they have been convicted of a crime and refrain from calling consumers on the list.
Arkansas, Wyoming Take Steps To Protect Children
Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe this week co-hosted a training course designed to help law enforcement agents who respond to reports about missing children.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Arkansas State Police Internet Crimes against Children task force joined Beebe to offer an all-day session Tuesday in Russellville and another on Wednesday in North Little Rock. May is the state's child-safety awareness month, and Beebe said in a release that he hoped the sessions would increase the information people have about protecting children.
In Wyoming, meanwhile, the state Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on Friday announced that one of its special agents has developed software that helps slow the use of peer-to-peer computer networks for trading files of child pornography. The program, conceived by Agent Flint Waters, searches the networks for known images of child pornography that have been verified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Waters and the Wyoming DCI have made the software, dubbed Operation Peerless, available for free to local, state, federal and international law enforcement agencies.
"This problem was so widespread that it was clearly easier for a child to obtain these images than it would be for them to buy a magazine depicting adult pornography," Attorney General Pat Crank said in a release. "But through Operation Peerless, we have been able to leverage the resources of law enforcement around the world to serve not only Wyoming but families worldwide."
Security Adviser To Delaware Governor Will Retire
Delaware Gov. Ruth Minner announced that her homeland security adviser, Philip Cabaud, is retiring June 1. He joined Minner's staff in January 2002 after 31 years as an FBI investigator.
"Phil was a critical liaison between the federal, state and local governments, as well as business and industry, as we rewrote and revamped our emergency plans and procedures" after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Minner said in a release.
Meanwhile, Minner nominated former Maryland State Police SuperintendentDavid Mitchell to the separate post of secretary of the Safety and Homeland Security Department.
During his eight-year tenure in Maryland, Mitchell implemented new initiatives in computer crimes, labor relations and DNA forensic investigations. His appointment requires confirmation by the Delaware Senate, which is not expected until after June 1.
In other people news, Washington state's Information Services Department Director Stuart McKee is leaving the governor's Cabinet to become a Microsoft national technology officer effective June 4. He has served under Gov. Gary Locke since April 2002.
Kentucky Governor OKs Broadband Deregulation
Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher on Monday signed into law a measure to deregulate high-speed Internet service in the state.
"Broadband is essential to building a more competitive local economy," Fletcher said upon signing the bill, H.B. 627. "We are giving our local communities greater opportunity for economic development."
Fletcher also challenged the state's ConnectKentucky partnership to reach full broadband deployment in the state by 2007.
The legislation "creates certainty in the marketplace for companies deploying broadband in rural markets," said Eddy Roberts, president of Kentucky BellSouth and a ConnectKentucky steering committee member.
BellSouth announced plans to deploy high-speed Internet to 59 communities in coming months.
In North Dakota and South Dakota, the FCC will hold a series of roundtables next week to discuss telecommunications issues. South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds and state Public Utilities Commission Chairman Bob Sahr will be in Rapid City with FCC officials on May 25 to showcase the growth of local wireless Internet service provider capabilities, among other events.
N.C. Residents Get Refunds For Telemarketing
A New Mexico company on Monday was ordered to refund money to North Carolina consumers to whom the firm made collect telemarketing calls. Under the settlement, TalkTooMe will return more than $9,000.
The company teamed with American Directory Services to place collect telemarketing calls to North Carolina telephone numbers in 2002. TalkTooMe used the name 00 Operator and then billed state customers $28.84 for each collect call.
In other consumer news, Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore last week launched a Web site designed to educate people about rising gas prices.
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