Senate State Affairs committee advances bill to let driver’s license data be used for online Social Security card applications

Sen. Scott Kawasaki, chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee, opened the panel’s March 3 meeting in Juneau and said the committee held a second hearing on Senate Bill 237, which would permit state driver’s license information to be shared with the Social Security Administration to allow Alaskans to apply for Social Security cards online.

Jenna Calhoun, staff to Sen. Scott Kawasaki, summarized the bill, saying, “This bill would allow it so, driver's license information would be shared with the Social Security Administration, enabling it so Alaskans would be able to apply for Social Security cards online and not have to travel to a, office in either Juneau, Anchorage, or Fairbanks to verify their documents nor would they have to mail in their documents to for to verify their identity.”

The proposal is limited to a single state-to–Social Security Administration transaction to obtain a Social Security card, the chair said, and earlier drafting removed provisions that would make information available to private companies. The committee also discussed a late amendment, A.1, proposed by Vice Chair Sen. Bjorkman that would have allowed an individual to voluntarily opt in to sharing identity information with a private service called CLEAR for verification purposes.

Sen. Bjorkman described the amendment as permitting a voluntary opt-in, stating, “This amendment would allow a person to voluntarily, opt in to a service known as CLEAR.” He said the amendment would insert language that data be shared only to confirm the identity of an individual who has voluntarily provided a driver's license or identification card to the private entity.

Sen. Grama Jackson sought clarification, noting that people can already enroll in CLEAR, and asked what the amendment would add. After discussion and questions about the amendment’s effect, Sen. Bjorkman withdrew Amendment A.1.

Following the discussion, Sen. Bjorkman moved that Senate Bill 237 (work draft 3) be reported out of committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note. Chair Kawasaki called for objections and, hearing none, the committee reported the bill out of committee.

The meeting concluded with the chair announcing a joint hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled for March 4 at 1:30 p.m. in Davis Room 106 to discuss a separate matter regarding dissemination of confidential voter information to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Next steps: SB 237 was reported out of the Senate State Affairs Committee with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note; any additional committee action or floor scheduling was not specified at the meeting.