DHS publishes final TWIC rule

DHS publishes final TWIC rule The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued the final rule for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential, which will require workers in the port environment to undergo background checks and use a government-issued ID card for unescorted access to vessels and secure areas of a facility.
   An advance copy of the rule was posted on the Transportation Security Administration's Web site Tuesday and will be published in the Federal Register within days.
   The rule lays out the enrollment process, disqualifying crimes, usage procedures, fees and other requirements for workers, port owners and operators.
   Key aspects of the rule include:
   * Workers must undergo a background check that includes searches of criminal history databases, terrorist watch lists, immigration status and outstanding warrants.
   * The department will issue a 'smart' photo ID card that includes an integrated circuit chip that stores the applicant's fingerprints and personal identification number.
   * The Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard plan to implement the rule in two phases because the biometric reader technology has not been fully tested in the maritime environment. During the initial rollout of TWIC, workers will present their cards to authorized personnel, who will compare the holder to his or her photo, inspect security features on the TWIC and evaluate the card for signs of tampering. The Coast Guard will verify TWIC cards when conducting vessel and facility inspections and through spot checks using hand-held readers to ensure credentials are valid. Until card reader technology is tested and a regulation issued on access control, facility owners and operators will not be required to utilize TWIC readers for facility access.
   * The fee for TWIC will be $139 to $159, and the TWIC cards will be valid for five years. Workers with current, comparable background checks including a hazardous material endorsement to a commercial driver's license, merchant mariner document or Free and Secure Trade (FAST) credential will pay a discounted fee of $107 to $127. The exact amount of the fee will be established and published once an enrollment support contract is finalized in early 2007. A subsequent Federal Register Notice will be issued at that time.
   * The TSA said it would store enrollment records and protect personnel privacy through encryption and other processes.
   TWIC enrollment will begin in March at a small number of ports will be phased in around the country during the rest of the year. Workers will be notified when and where to apply prior to the start of the enrollment period in their given area, TSA said.
   To read the entire rule, go to https://www.tsa.gov/assets/pdf/1652-AA41_twic_fr.pdf.