SB 237: An Act relating to the powers of the commissioner of administration with respect to motor vehicles; relating to electronic identification cards; relating to data sharing by the Department of Administration; relating to electronic driver's licenses and permits; and providing for an effective date. - Alaska

Enrolled SB 237 → SB 237 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was drastically narrowed in scope from a 31-section act covering electronic IDs, electronic driver's licenses, data sharing agreements, and physical license surrender requirements across many contexts, down to a 4-section act focused solely on data sharing for driver's license verification. The new version removes all provisions about electronic identification cards, electronic driver's licenses and permits, and numerous physical license surrender mandates. It also modifies the REAL ID data restriction by removing a specific reference to AAMVA and changes the data-sharing prohibition in AS 28.05.068(b) from a ban to a limited permission tied to the new verification provision.

Scope change

The bill was reduced from a comprehensive 31-section act covering electronic IDs, electronic licenses, data sharing agreements, and physical license surrender across multiple legal contexts, to a narrow 4-section act addressing only data sharing for driver's license verification purposes. The title changed accordingly from covering 'powers of the commissioner... electronic identification cards... electronic driver's licenses and permits' to simply 'data sharing by the Department of Administration for driver's license data verification purposes.'

SCOPE

All provisions regarding electronic identification cards (AS 18.65.310), electronic driver's licenses and permits (AS 28.15.126), the requirement to carry a physical or electronic license, data sharing agreements with law enforcement agencies (AS 28.05.021), and numerous physical license surrender requirements across DUI, court order, parole, and commercial driver contexts were removed entirely.

The TSA registered traveler program data-sharing provision (former AS 28.15.151(g)(2)) was dropped; the new version only allows data sharing with SSA-approved entities for verification purposes.

REQUIREMENT

AS 28.05.068(a) removes the specific reference to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) from the REAL ID data restriction, broadening which entities are covered by the limitation on data sharing.

ELIGIBILITY

AS 28.05.068(b) changes from prohibiting the department from conveying data to a private entity to permitting it, but only to carry out the new AS 28.15.151(g) verification provision. The prior reference to 'any scanned or stored documents collected in order' was removed.

New AS 28.15.151(g) authorizes the department to furnish driver's license information upon request to nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) or (c)(4)) or governmental or tribal entities approved by the U.S. Social Security Administration, solely to facilitate driver's license data verification.

CSSB 237(JUD) am H(reengrossed) → Enrolled SB 237 · 2 edits · Jul 16, 2026

MINOR

This diff represents a formatting conversion of SB 237 from its committee amendment version (CSSB 237(JUD) am H(reengrossed)) to the final enrolled bill format. The statutory text is substantively unchanged; only the document structure, headers, and page layout were modified to conform to the standard Alaska enrolled bill presentation.

TECHNICAL

Document converted from committee amendment format (with 'CS FOR SENATE BILL NO.' header, sponsor info, amendment dates, and 'New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]' legend) to standard enrolled bill format with 'LAWS OF ALASKA 2026' header, chapter number placeholder, and 'BE IT ENACTED' language.

Minor capitalization change in Section 13: 'Registered Traveler Programs' was changed to 'registered traveler programs' (lowercase) in the TSA program reference.

CSSB 237(JUD) am H → Enrolled SB 237 · 4 edits · Jul 16, 2026

MODERATE

The bill transitions from a draft committee version to the final enrolled legislation, standardizing the formatting and official title while retaining the core policy changes. The substantive content remains focused on updating the Commissioner of Administration's authority regarding electronic identification cards, data sharing agreements, and driver's license requirements.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability remains unchanged; it continues to apply to the Department of Administration and relevant law enforcement agencies within the State of Alaska.

TECHNICAL

Removed draft committee headers, page numbers, and internal markup symbols (such as brackets and underlining) to reflect the final, clean text of the law.

Updated the source citation to reflect the final enrolled bill number (Enrolled SB 237) and removed the specific committee amendment date.

Replaced the descriptive bill title with the standard legislative format 'AN ACT' followed by the summary of topics.

Adjusted line breaks and paragraph spacing to conform to the official printing standards for Alaska laws.

CSSB 237(JUD) → CSSB 237(JUD) am H · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand the Department of Administration's authority over motor vehicle data and introduce new rules for electronic identification cards. The changes shift the focus from general data sharing to specific powers regarding electronic IDs and federal benefits for children. A new section allows the department to issue electronic ID cards on mobile devices, while also clarifying that showing such a card does not allow police to search the device's other contents.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include the powers of the commissioner of administration regarding motor vehicles and electronic identification cards, in addition to data sharing.

REQUIREMENT

Added provisions allowing the department to issue electronic identification cards on mobile devices.

Added a requirement for individuals to return cancelled physical identification cards within 10 days.

Authorized the commissioner to enter into agreements with various data exchange services and law enforcement agencies.

ENFORCEMENT

Established immunity for peace officers regarding damage to mobile devices during ID verification, except in cases of intentional misconduct.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the act's title to include federal benefits for children in need of aid and electronic driver's licenses.

SB 237 → CSSB 237(JUD) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to update its classification from a Senate bill to a Judiciary committee version and changed the effective date from February to March. The most significant policy change expands the group of people who can request driver's license data verification from just nonprofit and government entities to include any individual or their designee, thereby broadening access to this service.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to allow private individuals to request data verification, whereas the original version restricted requests to specific nonprofit or governmental organizations.

TIMELINE

The offered date was changed from February 9, 2026, to March 23, 2026.

REQUIREMENT

The committee responsible for the bill was changed from State Affairs to Judiciary.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility to request driver's license data verification was expanded to include any person or their designee, in addition to existing nonprofit and governmental entities.

CSSB 237(JUD) am H(reengrossed) → SB 237 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift its focus from issuing physical and electronic identification cards to strictly regulating how the Department of Administration shares driver's license data. The new version removes all provisions related to the issuance of electronic IDs and instead establishes strict limits on data sharing, allowing information to be sent to external entities only for specific federal compliance or approved verification purposes.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a broad authorization to create electronic driver's licenses and ID cards to a narrow mandate restricting data sharing with third parties and nonprofit organizations for verification.

ELIGIBILITY

All text regarding the issuance of physical and electronic identification cards, including fees, card design, and rules for presenting digital IDs to police, was removed.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements were added to prevent the department from sharing data with entities like the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators unless the data is strictly necessary for federal REAL ID Act compliance.

The legal authority for the department to share data was modified to explicitly allow sharing only with approved nonprofit or governmental entities to facilitate driver's license data verification.

TIMELINE

Specific dates for committee amendments and offers were removed, and the effective date provision was simplified to take effect immediately.

An Act relating to the powers of the commissioner of administration with respect to motor vehicles; relating to electronic identification cards; relating to data sharing by the Department of Administration; relating to electronic driver's licenses and permits; and providing for an effective date.

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