Title: An act relating to a biometric matching system for driver's licenses and identicards.

Brief Description: Implementing a biometric matching system for driver's licenses and identicards.

Sponsors: Senators Brandland, Haugen and Rasmussen.

Brief History:

Transportation: 2/27/06, 2/28/06 [DPA].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 28 members: Representatives Murray, Chair; Wallace, Vice Chair; Woods, Ranking Minority Member; Appleton, Buck, Campbell, Clibborn, Curtis, Dickerson, Ericksen, Flannigan, Hankins, Holmquist, Hudgins, Jarrett, Kilmer, Lovick, Morris, Nixon, Rodne, Schindler, Sells, Shabro, Simpson, B. Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove and Wood.

Staff: David Munnecke (786-7315).

Background:

The Department of Licensing (DOL) is required to implement a highly accurate one-to-one biometric matching system by January 1, 2006. When the biometric driver's license and identicard system is established, the DOL must allow every person applying for an original, renewal, or duplicate driver's license or identicard the option of submitting a biometric identifier. The fee for applying a biometric identifier to a driver's license or identicard is $2.

The DOL may not disclose biometric information to the public or any governmental entity except when authorized by court order.

In May of 2005, Congress passed legislation known as the Real ID Act. The Real ID Act sets new standards for state issued driver's licenses and identicards. States must meet the new standards by May 11, 2008. Driver's licenses and identicards issued by states that fail to meet the deadline will no longer be accepted for federal purposes, such as boarding an aircraft or entering a federal building.

Summary of Amended Bill:

The implementation date for the DOL biometric matching system is delayed until two years after Washington implements the provisions of the Federal Real ID Act.

The requirement that the DOL select a system that allows for the owner of a driver's license to present a pin number or other code, prior to the information being verified by a third party, is amended to indicate that third parties include governmental entities.

Amended Bill Compared to Original Bill:

The requirement that DOL select a system that allows for the owner of a driver's license to present a pin number or other code, prior to the information being verified by a third party, is reinstated.

The requirement that the DOL destroy the biometric information collected from a person once the person no longer wishes to participate in the voluntary biometric system is reinstated.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: The DOL needs this bill to correct the implementation date of this act. The DOL does not know what the federal requirements for driver's licenses and identification cards are going to be, and doesn't want its system for biometric identification to conflict with federal requirements.

The current statute doesn't allow for the DOL to release information, so there is no need for the language regarding personal identification numbers prior to release of information. The current statute also requires the destruction of biometric information when a person withdraws from the program, which could require destruction of photos and other necessary biometric information.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Sharon Whitehead and Clark Halloway; Department of Licensing.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.