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Bill

SB 459

State: identification cards; mobile official state personal identification card; provide for. Amends sec. 2 of 1972 PA 222 (MCL 28.292).

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Sarah Anthony

Michigan authorizes digital mobile state ID cards on smartphones to modernize identification while raising privacy, security, and equitable access concerns.

referred to Committee on Government Operations
#state:identificationcards
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Bill Summary · SB 459

Legislative bill overview

SB 459 amends Michigan's identification card law to authorize the creation and use of mobile official state personal identification cards, likely in digital format on smartphones or similar devices. The bill modifies the 1972 Public Act 222, which governs Michigan's ID card system, to enable this modernized form of state identification.

Why is this important

Digital ID cards could increase accessibility for residents who need state identification while reducing administrative costs and fraud through encrypted digital systems. However, this touches on significant privacy, security, and equity concerns regarding digital identity systems and government data collection.

Potential points of contention

  • Data privacy and security: Critics may worry about government digital systems being hacked, breached, or misused; opponents may question how personal biometric data is stored and protected
  • Digital divide concerns: Lower-income or elderly residents without smartphones or reliable internet access could face barriers to obtaining identification, potentially creating a two-tiered system
  • Implementation and compatibility: Questions remain about which agencies and private businesses must accept mobile IDs, technical standards, and whether federal agencies (TSA, etc.) will recognize them

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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