Secretary of State Questions Exemptions for Amish on ID Law

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White says lawmakers may want to reconsider a new law that paves the way to exempt the Amish from having pictures on identification cards.

White tells the Lee Springfield Bureau he doesn't understand how the cards can be used as identification if there are no pictures. White's office issues state identification cards and drivers' licenses.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law this week. It gives the Illinois Secretary of State the option to make rules to implement no photographs on IDs.

State Rep. Adam Brown supported the legislation. The Decatur Republican says Amish leaders requested the exemption, citing religious beliefs about having their pictures taken. Brown has suggested other methods to verify identities, such as an internal state system or using fingerprints.