David M. Travis v. Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States, and United States of America

163 F.3d 1000, 27 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1080, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 31385, 1998 WL 871038
Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit·Decided December 16, 1998·No. 98-2881·Published·Cited by 42 cases

Opinion

EASTERBROOK, Circuit Judge.

This case poses the question whether Congress has the power to enact the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2721-25, which regulates disclosures of the information that states maintain in drivers’ records. The district court held that the Act exceeds Congress’ authority under the commerce clause (read in light of the tenth amendment) because the Act commandeers states to do the national government’s bidding. 12 F.Supp.2d 921 (W.D.Wis.1998). After the district court released its opinion, the fourth circuit concluded that the Act is unconstitutional because it applies exclusively to states. Condon v. Reno, 155 F.3d 453 (4th Cir.1998). But the tenth circuit has disagreed and held that the Act is valid. Oklahoma v. Reno, 161 F.3d 1266 (10th Cir.1998), reversing 994 F.Supp. 1358 (W.D.Okla.1997). Accord,. Pryor v. Reno, 998 F.Supp. 1317 (M.D.Ala.1998). Although each side to this controversy can take comfort from decisions of the Supreme Court, we conclude that, whatever may be said about the Act’s wisdom, it is within the commerce power and *1002 compatible with constitutional principles of federalism. This eliminates any need to discuss whether the Act also is within the legislative power under § 5 of the fourteenth amendment.

I

The Act forbids the disclosure of “personal information about any individual obtained by the [State’s] department [of motor vehicles] in connection with a motor vehicle record” except to the extent that the Act itself permits or requires disclosure. 18 U.S.C. § 2721(a). Elsewhere the Act requires disclosure for law enforcement and pollution-control uses; forbids disclosure for commercial uses (such as the creation of mailing lists); and makes disclosure optional for other uses, such as research and insurance. Violations of the Act are punishable by fines up to $5,000 per day. 18 U.S.C. § 2723. Wisconsin contends, and we must assume, that in order to comply with the Act it must make costly changes in the way it handles requests for access to its motor vehicle licensing records. Moreover, because Wisconsin formerly sold its records for use in creating mailing lists, and for other purposes, the Act deprives the state of approximately $8 million in annual revenue. (“Wisconsin” is shorthand for the state’s Division of Motor Vehicles and its director, who intervened as plaintiffs after questions were raised about the standing of the original plaintiffs. The Division, as the regulated entity, has an Article III controversy with the United States, so we need not discuss the original plaintiffs’ standing.)

A

Driving is an interstate activity, as is the mailing-list business. Information about Wisconsin’s drivers readily can affect movement and business transactions outside that state’s borders. Wisconsin does not doubt that, but for the principles of state sovereignty that underlie our Nation’s federal structure (and are acknowledged by the tenth and eleventh amendments), Congress would possess power under Art. I § 8 cl. 3 of the Constitution to enact this statute. The interstate components are substantial in the aggregate even if a single disclosure has but a slight effect on commerce. See United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549, 558-61, 115 S.Ct. 1624, 131 L.Ed.2d 626 (1995); Wickard v. Filburn, 317 U.S. 111, 63 S.Ct. 82, 87 L.Ed. 122 (1942); United States v. Hicks, 106 F.3d 187 (7th Cir.1997).

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David M. Travis v. Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States, and United States of America, 163 F.3d 1000, 27 Media L. Rep. (BNA) 1080, 1998 U.S. App. LEXIS 31385, 1998 WL 871038 (7th Cir. 1998).

163 F.3d 1000 (David M. Travis v. Janet Reno, Attorney General of the United States, and United States of America) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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