Essentially, you could leave the house without much other than your phone and keys. But will Texans ever be able to keep those pesky wallets from bulging their pockets or demanding a handbag?
For those not perpetually online, you may have missed a new ad circling the socials from Apple boasting a new feature: Digital ID cards can now be added to Apple Wallet.
Year after year, Texas legislatures have attempted to get the ball rolling on digital IDs – an effort already completed in 20 states and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Another 13 states have digital IDs in development, according to a mobile drivers’ license tracking website. Texas is not one of those states despite numerous attempts to become one.
“According to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), a digital driver’s license solution has the potential to offer greater convenience and security to Texans while providing a platform to deliver new value-added services,” a bill analysis for a 2023 attempt drafted by Texas Rep. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) states.
That legislative effort died in a Senate Committee after successfully passing through the Texas House floor. The only vote against it in the state’s Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee was Republican state Rep. Mark Dorazio (R-San Antonio). His vote coupled with his political affiliation is unsurprising considering the groups that signed up to speak against the bill were far-right groups and Pro-Christian nationalists, including Texas Constitutional Enforcement, Texas For Liberty, and True Texas Project.
It clearly has support from DPS and other law enforcement agencies. A San Antonio Police Officers’ Association representative signed up to speak in favor of the bill along with the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas. It even got the Independent Bankers Association on board.
A second attempt was made last year during the 89th legislative session, drafted by Texas Rep. Royce West (D-Dallas) on the Transportation Committee. At the time, he noted 14 states had already some type of digital ID system and noted how residents have largely moved to mobile wallets since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Following the pandemic, the use of mobile wallet payments increased due to the demand for contactless payments and faster, more efficient transactions. Now, according to Forbes, 53 percent of American use digital wallet apps and services,” West wrote in his bill analysis. “As technology continues to evolve, Texas should adapt and innovate alongside it.”
That bill never managed to even make it to a committee hearing and died during the regular legislative session due to inactivity.
The states that have adopted digital ID systems – a number rising year after year – are split into two camps. Addressing mistrust in large corporations, some have developed their own system unattached to the likes of Apple, Google or Samsung. Others have partnered with these conglomerates to do the hard work and programming for them.
Texas has failed to take a step in either direction, joining a now minority position among the 50 states choosing inaction. These efforts keep failing despite a clear demand from both residents and law enforcement agencies. There’s even threads on the Apple website forums dating back years.
“I just think it’s weird that after so long, they still only have 4 states. I’ve been checking back every once in a while over the last several years. Even if they added more states, even if they weren’t mine, I would feel like there was progress,” one user noted.
Originally posted in MySA.com: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/texas-digital-drivers-license-apple-wallet-21342596.php
Do you like this post?
Showing 1 reaction