An Act allowing blood types to be printed on licenses to operate motor vehicles

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Bridget Plouffe

Allows Massachusetts license holders to opt to have their blood type printed on REAL-ID or standard licenses, once they submit the info to the RMV.

Hearing scheduled for 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

Purpose and intent

The bill authorizes individuals to have their blood type printed on their Massachusetts driver’s license (including REAL-ID-compliant licenses) if they opt to provide this information to the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).

The goal is to give license holders the option to display their blood type on their license for identification purposes.

Key provisions

Amendments to Chapter 90, Section 8: A new paragraph would be added to permit an applicant for a license or renewal to provide the registrar with a statement of their blood type.

Printing on licenses: If an applicant chooses to provide their blood type, the registrar must make provisions to print that blood type on the license (whether REAL-ID-compliant or standard Massachusetts license).

Voluntary disclosure: Printing of blood type is optional for the applicant; it is not mandatory.

Scope: Applies to licenses or renewals issued by the RMV and covers both REAL-ID-compliant licenses and Massachusetts licenses.

Who/what is affected

Primary beneficiaries: License applicants and current licensees who opt to have their blood type printed on their license.

Administrative body: Registry of Motor Vehicles, which would implement the mechanism to record and display the blood type on eligible licenses.

Data considerations: The bill involves storing and displaying an individual’s blood type on a government-issued document, raising potential privacy and data-protection considerations, though the bill does not specify security measures beyond requiring the option be provided.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduction: February 27, 2025.

Legislative actions: Referred to the Committee on Transportation on February 27, 2025; Senate action listed as “concurred” on the same date.

Similar prior measure: Related matter previously filed as House Bill 3282 in the 2023-2024 session.

Hearing: Scheduled for November 4, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Room A-2.

Bill status: House docket number 3963; 2025-2026 session (One hundred ninety-fourth General Court, 2025-2026).

Additional context

Related or replacement measure: The bill is noted as replacing or updating a similar matter previously filed as HD 3963, and it references a prior filing (HD 3282 from 2023-2024).

Implementation considerations: If enacted, the RMV would need to establish procedures for applicants to submit blood type information and for printing and displaying that information on licenses. The act does not specify effective dates or transition timelines beyond passage, so these details would be determined in the enacted statute and any implementing regulations.

Bottom line

H.3764 would make the display of a license holder’s blood type optional and printed on a license (REAL-ID or standard) upon the holder’s request and submission of their blood type to the RMV. The bill is currently slated for a formal hearing on November 4, 2025, with prior committee action in early 2025.

Bill