Legislation Would Set National Standard for Driver's Licenses

Under legislation proposed in the U.S. Congress, the Driver’s License Modernization Act (HR 4633) would require that states issue “smart” driver’s licenses that would hold biometric data, possibly a fingerprint, on the card to ensure identification authentication and the use of biometrics in databases of the state department of motor vehicles to prevent identity theft. The legislation would mandate that states’ DMV databases be linked, allowing for quick and easy verification of information from an individual applying for a license in another state.