Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Community Development, Housing & Tribal Affairs Committee

HB 2416

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background:

State Identification Cards.

The Department of Licensing (DOL) issues driver's licenses and Identicards that serve as official forms of personal identification. The driver's license and Identicard can be used to verify a person's name, residency and age for various purposes. In order for a driver's license or Identicard to be valid for identification purposes, an applicant must provide the DOL with certain identifying documentation that contains the person's name and signature, including:

a valid or recently expired driver's license or instruction permit that includes the date of birth of the applicant;
a Washington state Identicard or an identification card issued by another state;
an identification card issued by the United States, a state, or an agency of either the United States or a state, of a kind commonly used to identify the members or employees of the government agency;
a military identification card;
a United States passport; or
an immigration and naturalization service form.

The DOL may waive this requirement if a person is unable to provide any of these forms of identification and if the person provides other documentation that clearly establishes his or her identity. In addition, the DOL regulations require an applicant to provide a current mailing and state residential address and telephone number.

Foster youth may obtain an Identicard by providing the DOL with a written statement from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) that verifies the following:

the youth's name, birthdate and physical description;
the youth's Social Security Number, if available;
the fact that the youth is a minor in the custody of DSHS or other agency, the appropriate address and the DSHS or agency contact information; and
the appropriate address to be listed on the Identicard.

Summary of Bill:

The DOL must create a new temporary homeless identification card. The card is available to any person who does not have a state driver's license or Identicard and can prove his identity and homeless status. Proof of identity is satisfied either by meeting the requirements for identification for the driver's license and Identicard, or by providing a birth certificate, social security number, and fingerprint. The DOL may waive the birth certificate and social security number requirement if the applicant can provide other documentation to the DOL that clearly establishes the person's identity.

In order to verify a person's homeless status, he or she must provide either:

a certification of temporary homeless status issued by the Department of Commerce; or
a declaration from a temporary housing or homeless service provider in the state that includes:
- the name and brief description of the person;
- an affirmation that the person is homeless; and
- the provider's physical and mailing address to be used as the person's own address.

The temporary homeless identification card is valid for one year and may be renewed for an additional six months if the person is still homeless. The DOL may cancel the card if it is used in a fraudulent manner in the same way that would be a violation for misuse of the driver's license and Identicard, or if the person is no longer homeless. A temporary housing or homeless service provider must notify the DOL if it determines that a card holder is no longer homeless.

A temporary homeless identification card is only valid as documentation for employment purposes and is not intended to be a valid state identification card for any other purpose or subject to compliance with the federal REAL ID Act.