A new bill introduced to the Tennessee General Assembly floor aims to create digital driver licenses.
SB0572 is looking to amend the Tennessee code in order to allow Tennessee residents to obtain digital driver licenses.
The bill which was introduced to the Senate by Heidi Campbell calls for the Tennessee Department of Safety to study laws in the state when it comes to implementing digital licenses.
A DIGITAL LICENSE? Your driver’s license could soon move from your wallet to your phone. https://t.co/2uPlL1etPJ
— Local 3 News (@Local3News) January 28, 2023
SB0572 states:
The department of safety is directed to perform a study of laws in this state and other states related to the implementation of a secure digital license system for authorizing persons to present or submit evidence of a driver license or photo identification license in an optional digital format in lieu of a physical license, and the use or development of a mobile software application capable of being utilized via a person’s electronic device to access a digital image of the person’s driver license or photo identification license.”
The way it works is you would obtain a digital license from the DMV and it would be simply uploaded to your Apple or Google Wallet.
Tennessee is not the only state aiming to make driver licenses digital.
Washington state also has a bill sitting on its Senate floor which calls for driver license to be digital.
Democrat Senator Mark Mullet who sponsored the new bill stated “I learned from the ease of having vaccine information on your cell phone why it would make sense to also offer this option for folks when it comes to their driver’s license.”
California is already a head of the pack and are rolling out digital license and IDs in the spring.
Digital IDs could arrive for Californians this spring. Here’s how they’ll work https://t.co/W62OXUsQlk
— KTLA (@KTLA) January 13, 2023
Digital drivers license may seem convenient but the concept of having a digital I.D. could become very problematic when it comes to keeping privacy.