Well, well well, what do we have here? It looks like PA could become the 13th state to make electronic driver's licenses happen. 🤳🏼
Did you know 12 other states had them already? 🪪 Looks like we're not fully caught up on our real life Black Mirror episodes! 😜
Here’s Five Fast Facts on electronic driver's licenses in PA:
- 📱 Digital Get Down - House Bill 1247 was recently proposed by State Representative Dan Miller (R - Lebanon). If passed, the bill would authorize PennDOT to create an app that provides people with a mobile digital license, or mDL to use as an alternate method of identification. However, physical licenses would still be required while driving.
- 🕺 Errbody in the Club Gettin' Tipsy - Under this bill, an mDL could be used as an alternative form of ID for things like getting into bars and nightclubs. However, you'd still need to carry a physical license while driving. Officials are also looking into allowing users to toggle certain information on and off, like date of birth.
- 🚔 Scan Me - Why do you still need to have a physical license for driving? Not all police vehicles are equipped with scanning devices. It's also not kosher for an officer to take your phone back to their car with them to take down information.
- 🔐 Privacy, Please - While PennDOT and other organizations support the idea of mDLs, they also say the bill needs to add more privacy protections. They should have the same high standards as online payment systems, like Apple Pay. Officials also want to see mDLs conform to REAL ID standards.
- 🍹 No Tequila for Teens - Another concern is how mDLs would work for alcohol purchases. Right now, the PA liquor code doesn't list digital IDs as valid. There's also a concern that it will lead to more minors getting served alcohol, or certain businesses not accepting mDLs altogether.
🔥Bottom line: While mDLs seem like the next logical step in our digital future, the jury's still out on how convenient they'll really make things. If we still need to carry around our old plastic cards to drive, what's the point? Not to mention what hackers might do if they get ahold of our credentials. While we're on the topic of IDs and alcohol, check out this article on how much wine PA makes.
Are you in favor of electronic driver's licenses?
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