White House poised to throw federal support behind mDLs

The White House is about to throw its support behind state issuance of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs), in part to fill the role of digital identity in securing government benefits issuance against fraud.

A draft executive order yet to be signed by U.S. President Joe Biden will “strongly encourage the use of digital identity documents,” Notus reports.

Estimates for how much financial aid was fraudulently collected from U.S. public coffers during the pandemic start at $80 billion, and stronger identity verification through digital IDs and biometric authentication has since been a priority for many government departments.

The draft order reportedly instructs federal agencies to provide an alternative to face biometrics checks, and also bans the sale or repurposing of biometric data by government bodies and contractors alike.

People familiar with the development of the executive order say whether the policy should support Login.gov or ID.me adoption has been a stick point. Lobbyists, meanwhile, have been hard at work, according to Notus. The most recent version seems to mandate Login.gov or another government-run access control system as one among multiple options.

States would also be able to apply for grants to build digital driver’s license programs and ensure their compliance with federal government systems.

The draft also calls for digital IDs to be able to provide confirmation of whether the bearer is at least 18 or 21 years old, but on a limited disclosure basis, without sharing personal information.

Government agencies would also be encouraged to accept whatever digital IDs states provide.

Notus says that its information suggests the draft is final, and awaiting a release date, but also noted a White House statement that the EO is only truly final once signed by the President.

The Biden Administration was urged to establish a national digital identity framework by a coalition of trade groups and non-profits in a letter back in 2022.

Thirteen states have issued mDLs so far, and a similar number are considering legislation or otherwise working towards their launch.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  digital ID  |  driver's license  |  fraud prevention  |  identity verification  |  legislation  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  U.S. Government