Metro

Pennsylvania motorists would be able to use digital versions of their driver’s licenses and vehicle registration cards under legislation approved Monday by the House Transportation Committee.

House Bill 1970 would allow drivers to add versions of their driver’s licenses to the digital wallets on their phones.

State Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said drivers would be able to present the digital license at security checkpoints in airports and at other places that require travelers to present identification. The legislation was amended in committee to address a variety of privacy concerns.

The amendment specifies that a police officer who checks a driver’s phone to access the digital driver’s license would not have the authority to review other material on the phone without consent.

Neilson said the legislation is being moved now after months of negotiations with the Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania State Police over how to manage privacy and other concerns. The change is necessary to adjust to increased use of technology, he said.

“In 2011, only 35 percent of Americans owned a smartphone,” Neilson said at the committee meeting. “Today, that number has skyrocketed to 91 percent, and smartphones have become a fundamental part of everybody’s life.”

Thirteen states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio and West Virginia– have agreements in place allowing drivers to add digital versions of their driver’s licenses to the Apple Wallet on their iPhones. Apple announced in February that seven other states — Arkansas, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia — are moving to allow drivers to add digital versions of their licenses to the Apple Wallet app.

Apple has offered the ability to add a digital driver’s license to the smartphone since 2022.

Another measure, House Bill 2210, would allow drivers to store digital versions of their vehicle registrations on their phones rather than keep a paper copy of the document.

Under current law, motorists must have a paper copy of their vehicle registration to present to police officers during traffic stops.

“This brings our system into the 21st century, making it safer, more convenient and fully aligned with how people live and drive today,” state Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Berks, the prime sponsor of HB 2210, said ahead of the Monday vote.

The Department of Motor Vehicles stopped mailing registration cards to motorists in 2016. As a result, motorists must print their own cards, which can be a problem for the many individuals and families who lack access to a computer printer.

Those cited for failing to present their registration cards during a traffic stop face a $75 fine. State law includes a provision for motorists to avoid the fine if they present a copy of their registration within five days of the traffic stop.

The legislation would not require motorists to add digital versions of their identification to their smartphones. Pennsylvania law has allowed motorists to use digital versions of their proof of insurance cards for more than a decade.

Both bills now move to the full House for consideration.