Then we shall simply disagree on the use of the term. Where I'm from the use is apt. Obviously, YMMV.

Visitors don't qualify. The I-94 must be accompanied by valid immigration documents. The only docs they accept are those from immigration that prove you have legal status to reside in the US. There is a table of acceptable docs at http://hidot.hawaii.gov/hawaiis-legal-presence-law/ but here are the ones they accept for the "legal presence" portion for non-US citizens (obviously, for citizens, the usual docs apply, passport, GC, BC etc.):

Non-U.S. Citizen – Valid DHS/USCIC I-551 Permanent Resident Card issued since 1997
Non-U.S. Citizen – Valid DHS/USCIC I-688 Temporary Resident Card
Non-U.S. Citizen – Valid DHS/USCIC I-688B, I-766 Employment Authorization Card
Non-U.S. Citizen – Valid Foreign Passport with Appropriate Immigration Documents. If applicable, valid unexpired U.S. visa affixed accompanied by an approved I-94 form, if the I-94 form is not automated.

Non-U.S. Citizen – U.S. Dept. of Receptions and Placement Program Assurance Form (Refugee)
Non-U.S. Citizen – DHS/USCIS I-797 Notice of Action
Federal – Valid DHS/TSA Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)

And if you did manage to squeak through, they will issue a temporary license valid only until your visa expires. But they are very strict now and won't even talk to you without green card or valid immigration documents allowing you to reside (not visit) in the US, even if only temporarily. I was not able to renew my Hawaiian DL even with a SSN, IRS records, property tax statements, even an expired I-95 work visa, etc. Owning property does not give you any residency status.

That's a rather unfortunate 180 degree turn from their previous policy.

A tragic turn. I knew it was coming so I went down last Feb. to try to sneak in just before the change took effect on March 5, 2012 but the waits were horrendous. Likely because legitimate residents who don't have their documentation wanted to renew one last time before they would have to produce it for a simple renewal. The rules for State ID are exactly the same so no dice there either. It would be interesting to know if other states are enforcing this as strictly as Hawaii or is it just because of all the non-resident snowbirds in Hawaii? And will the enforcement relax in time or is there no way for the DMV clerks to override the id requirement?

Is there any reason why you can't provide a valid foreign passport?

Presuming you are Canadian (based on YVR in your profile) your Canadian passport alone should be sufficient to prove your legal presence in the USA.

Legal presence is not the same thing as being a resident.

That was the change. It doesn't mean legally allowed to be in the US, it means legally allowed to reside in the US via a green card, citizenship, work visa or other valid immigration status, not merely as a visitor who theoretically, should have no use for a state id or drivers license. So while my Canadian and EU passports allow me to enter the US legally as a visitor, I have no legal presence there as a resident, even as a property owner.

That's why the requirement is now the presentation of "Non-U.S. Citizen – Valid Foreign Passport with Appropriate Immigration Documents. If applicable, valid unexpired U.S. visa affixed accompanied by an approved I-94 form, if the I-94 form is not automated." It is the "appropriate Immigration documents" that has become the hurdle.

I had another thought...

There has been reports of TSA accepting CostCo membership cards. How often does this happen?
http://www.costco.com.au/Common/Priv...nditions.shtml "Your card is valid at any Costco warehouse worldwide."

You can find reports of Costco cards being accepted in this thread...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/check...-security.html

...in this thread...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/pract...o-card-ok.html

and in this post...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19749913-post30.html

(there are more out there if you go to the Travel Security parent forum and use the search menu).

I don't believe that the Costco card will always be accepted. Folks post here about using it because they think it is absurd that they get away with using it, since it's not on the TSA's list, and it's not issued by any government. It also costs USD$ 55 per year, and is only good for one year, both of which are drawbacks.

Will your government issue you more than one passport? If they will, you could show your second, unmarked, boring passport to the TSA and keep the one with all the attractive stamps and seals and visas out of sight. For example, the U.S. will issue a second passport if (1) you have Israeli stamps in your passport and fear they will cause trouble if you travel to Arab countries, or (2) if you travel so frequently that you need to have one passport that spends most of its time being mailed to the embassies of obscure countries to obtain visas while you and your main passport are off seeing the globe.

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/94669.pdf

Are the International Driving Permits issued in your home country in written English? Do they look like an impressive piece of ID, or like a dull child's art project? They're not on TSA's list, but my guess is that a lot of TSA folks would look at one of the better ones and say, "It's kinda like a driver's license, and it's kinda like a passport, and we take both of those, so I'll take it."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna...Driving_Permit