Utah Senate makes digital driver’s license pilot permanent amid privacy questions

Salt Lake City — The Utah Senate on Jan. 30 approved Senate Bill 88 to make permanent an existing pilot program allowing residents the option to carry an electronic driver’s license on a mobile device.

Senator Fillmore, the bill sponsor, told the Senate the legislation does not expand state access to personal data beyond what a paper driver’s license already allows. “All privacy that currently applies to a paper license will also apply to the digital license,” Fillmore said, adding that users can choose which specific data elements to share for a transaction — for example, displaying only an address or only proof of age via a QR code.

On the floor, Senator Bramble asked whether any United Nations entity had been involved in drafting the bill; Fillmore said he had not been in contact with the United Nations and that the suggestion was unfounded. Other senators raised practical and privacy questions, such as whether a barcode scanner used at a pharmacy would be able to read a phone’s presentation; Fillmore responded that the digital license is designed to allow selective sharing so third parties only receive needed information for the transaction.

The bill passed third reading with a recorded vote of 27 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent. Senate leadership noted an earlier pilot and said passage would allow Utahns the option of a digital credential if they prefer to use it.

Supporters emphasized privacy controls and consumer convenience; senators urging caution sought assurances that the bill would not permit broader data collection than paper IDs. The sponsor pointed to specific language in the bill (lines 267–270) that mirrors paper‑license privacy protections.

SB 88 will proceed to the next legislative steps following the Senate’s approval.