Drivers in Georgia would be able to leave home without their wallet, so long as they bring their smartphone, if legislation that seeks to require police to accept a digital version of drivers’ licenses becomes law.
House Bill 296 passed the Georgia House of Representatives by a wide bipartisan majority last week, and on Monday a Senate committee hit the accelerator on the bill. A similar measure passed the House last year with broad support but stalled in the Senate. A Senate committee passed the measure, but it never got a vote on the Senate floor. Athens Representative Houston Gaines who is the chief sponsor of HB 296, said about 450,000 Georgians are already using an official Georgia drivers’ license in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
So far though, the identification is only accepted by the Transportation Security Administration at airports. The bill includes a requirement that law enforcement agencies equip their officers with the necessary devices by July 2027.
