Alaska 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska Senate Bill SB165 Introduced / Bill

Filed 04/09/2025

                     
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 SENATE BILL NO. 165 
 
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA 
 
THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION 
 
BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR 
 
Introduced:  4/9/25 
Referred:  Transportation, State Affairs  
 
 
A BILL 
 
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED 
 
"An Act relating to the powers of the commissioner of administration with respect to 1 
motor vehicles; relating to electronic identification cards; relating to electronic driver's 2 
licenses and permits; and providing for an effective date." 3 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 4 
   * Section 1.  AS 18.65.310(a) is amended to read: 5 
(a)  Upon payment of a $15 fee, the department shall issue a physical card 
6 
identical to the motor vehicle operator's license provided for in AS 28.15.111, except 7 
that the card shall be of a different color and shall state in bold type letters across the 8 
face of the card [IT] that the card [IT] is for identification purposes only. Upon 9 
request of a person and upon payment of an additional $20 fee, the department may 10 
issue an identification card under this section that is federally compliant. 11 
   * Sec. 2.  AS 18.65.310 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 12 
(s) Upon application, the department may issue an electronic identification 13 
card to a person who possesses a physical identification card. A person issued an 14    34-GS1033\A 
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electronic identification card shall retain the physical identification card issued by the 1 
department. 2 
(t) The department shall adopt regulations for the issuance and use of 3 
electronic identification cards. 4 
(u) Presentation of an electronic identification card on a mobile electronic 5 
device for identification purposes does not constitute consent for a peace officer or 6 
other authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety to search, view, or 7 
access other contents of the mobile electronic device. A peace officer or other 8 
authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety presented with an 9 
electronic identification card shall promptly return the mobile electronic device to the 10 
person once the peace officer or representative verifies the identity of the person. 11 
(v)  A peace officer or other authorized representative of the Department of 12 
Public Safety presented with an electronic identification card on a mobile electronic 13 
device under this section is immune from liability resulting from damage to the 14 
device, except that a peace officer or other authorized representative of the 15 
Department of Public Safety may be liable for civil damages that are the result of the 16 
peace officer's or representative's intentional misconduct. 17 
   * Sec. 3.  AS 18.65.320(b) is amended to read: 18 
(b) A person whose identification card has been cancelled shall return the 19 
physical card to the department. Failure to return a cancelled card within 10 days after 20 
receiving notice of the cancellation is a violation punishable by a fine of up to $100. 21 
   * Sec. 4.  AS 28.05.021 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 22 
(c)  The commissioner of administration may enter into an agreement with a 23 
law enforcement agency, governmental agency or program, or data exchange service, 24 
including the National Driver Register, the Problem Driver Pointer System, the 25 
Commercial Driver's License Information System, the State-to-State Verification 26 
Service, and the Driver License Data Verification Service. 27 
   * Sec. 5.  AS 28.05.051 is amended to read: 28 
Sec. 28.05.051. Suspended or revoked documents. (a) When the department 29 
suspends or revokes a vehicle registration, certificate of registration, registration plate, 30 
permit, or certificate of title or suspends, cancels, or revokes a license, the owner or 31    34-GS1033\A 
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person in possession of the document shall, immediately upon receiving notice of the 1 
suspension, revocation, or cancellation, mail or deliver the registration, certificate, 2 
plate, permit, or physical license to the department. 3 
(b)  The commissioner, officers and employees of the department designated 4 
by the commissioner, judges and employees of a court, and all peace officers [,] may 5 
take possession of a certificate of title, registration, or physical license issued by this 6 
jurisdiction that has been revoked, canceled, limited, or suspended, or is fictitious, 7 
stolen, or altered. 8 
   * Sec. 6. AS 28.15.011(b) is amended to read: 9 
(b)  Every person exercising the person's privilege to drive, or exercising any 10 
degree of physical control of a motor vehicle on [UPON] a highway, vehicular way or 11 
area, or other public property in this state, is required to have in the possession of the 12 
person a valid physical or electronic Alaska driver's license issued under the 13 
provisions of this chapter for the type or class of vehicle driven, unless expressly 14 
exempted by law from this requirement. 15 
   * Sec. 7. AS 28.15 is amended by adding a new section to read: 16 
Sec. 28.15.126. Electronic licenses and permits. (a) Upon application, the 17 
department may issue an electronic driver's license or permit under this chapter to a 18 
person who possesses a physical driver's license or permit. A person issued an 19 
electronic driver's license or permit shall retain the physical driver's license or permit 20 
issued by the department.  21 
(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations for the issuance and use of 22 
electronic driver's licenses and permits issued under this chapter. The commissioner 23 
may adopt regulations to require a driver to possess a physical driver's license on their 24 
person in certain circumstances.  25 
(c)  If a person's physical driver's license is seized, revoked, canceled, limited, 26 
restricted, or suspended under this chapter, the department shall display a notice 27 
regarding the seizure, revocation, cancellation, limitation, restriction, or suspension 28 
across the front of the person's electronic driver's license. 29 
   * Sec. 8. AS 28.15.131(a) is amended to read: 30 
(a)  A licensee shall have the licensee's physical or electronic driver's license 31    34-GS1033\A 
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in immediate possession at all times when driving a motor vehicle, and shall present 1 
the license for inspection upon the demand of a peace officer or other authorized 2 
representative of the Department of Public Safety identified as such to the licensee by 3 
the officer or representative. However, a person charged with violating this section 4 
may not be convicted if the person produces in court or in the office of the arresting or 5 
citing officer, a driver's license previously issued to the person that was valid at the 6 
time of the person's arrest or citation.  7 
   * Sec. 9. AS 28.15.131 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 8 
(c) Presentation of an electronic driver's license or permit on a mobile 9 
electronic device under this chapter does not constitute consent for a peace officer or 10 
other authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety to search, view, or 11 
access other contents of the mobile electronic device. A peace officer or other 12 
authorized representative of the Department of Public Safety presented with an 13 
electronic driver's license or permit shall promptly return the mobile electronic device 14 
to the person once the peace officer or representative verifies the identity and license 15 
or permit status of the person. 16 
(d)  A peace officer or other authorized representative of the Department of 17 
Public Safety presented with an electronic driver's license or permit on a mobile 18 
electronic device under this chapter is immune from liability resulting from damage to 19 
the device, except that a peace officer or other authorized representative of the 20 
Department of Public Safety may be liable for civil damages that are the result of the 21 
peace officer's or representative's intentional misconduct. 22 
   * Sec. 10. AS 28.15.151(a) is amended to read: 23 
(a)  The department shall maintain a file of  24 
(1)  every driver's license application, license or permit, and duplicate 25 
driver's license issued by the department [IT];  26 
(2)  every license that has been suspended, revoked, canceled, limited, 27 
restricted, or denied, and the reasons for those actions;  28 
(3) all accident reports required to be forwarded to the department 29 
under this title; [AND]  30 
(4) every disqualification of an individual from operating a 31    34-GS1033\A 
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commercial motor vehicle; and 1 
(5) every application for an electronic driver's license or permit 2 
and the electronic driver's licenses and permits issued by the department.  3 
   * Sec. 11. AS 28.15.165(b) is amended to read: 4 
(b) After reading the notice under (a) of this section, the law enforcement 5 
officer shall seize the person's physical driver's license if the physical driver's 6 
license [IT] is in the person's possession and shall deliver the physical driver's 7 
license [IT] to the department with a sworn report describing the circumstances under 8 
which the physical driver's license [IT] was seized. If the person was operating a 9 
commercial motor vehicle, the officer shall order the person out of service under 10 
AS 28.33.130.  11 
   * Sec. 12. AS 28.15.166(a) is amended to read: 12 
(a)  A person who has received a notice under AS 28.15.165(a) may make a 13 
written request for administrative review of the department's action under 14 
AS 28.15.165(c) or for limited license privileges under AS 28.15.165(d). If the 15 
person's physical driver's license has not been previously surrendered to the 16 
department, the physical driver's license [IT] shall be surrendered to the department 17 
at the time the request for review is made.  18 
   * Sec. 13. AS 28.15.182(d) is amended to read: 19 
(d)  When imposing a limitation under (c) of this section, the court shall  20 
(1)  require the surrender of the physical driver's license; and  21 
(2) issue to the person a certificate valid for the duration of the 22 
limitation specifying the terms of the limited license.  23 
   * Sec. 14. AS 28.15.183(b) is amended to read: 24 
(b)  After reading the notice under (a) of this section, the peace officer shall 25 
seize the person's physical driver's license or permit if the physical driver's license 26 
or permit [IT] is in the person's possession and shall deliver the physical driver's 27 
license or permit [IT] to the department with a sworn report describing the 28 
circumstances under which the physical driver's license or permit [IT] was seized.  29 
   * Sec. 15. AS 28.15.184(a) is amended to read: 30 
(a)  A person who has received a notice under AS 28.15.183(a) may make a 31    34-GS1033\A 
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written request for administrative review of the department's action. If the person's 1 
physical driver's license or permit has not been previously surrendered to the 2 
department, the physical driver's license or permit [IT] shall be surrendered to the 3 
department at the time the request for review is made.  4 
   * Sec. 16. AS 28.15.187(b) is amended to read: 5 
(b)  After reading the notice under (a) of this section, the peace officer shall 6 
seize the person's physical driver's license if the physical driver's license [IT] is in 7 
the person's possession and shall deliver the physical driver's license [IT] to the 8 
department with a sworn report describing the circumstances under which the 9 
physical driver's license [IT] was seized.  10 
   * Sec. 17. AS 28.15.189(a) is amended to read: 11 
(a)  A person who has received a notice under AS 28.15.187(a) may make a 12 
written request for administrative review of the department's action. If the person's 13 
physical driver's license has not been previously surrendered to the department, the 14 
physical driver's license [IT] shall be surrendered to the department at the time the 15 
request for review is made.  16 
   * Sec. 18. AS 28.15.191(c) is amended to read: 17 
(c)  A court that suspends, revokes, or limits a driver's license shall require the 18 
surrender of the physical license, and shall immediately forward the physical driver's 19 
license [IT] to the department with the record of conviction and notification of the 20 
effective date of the suspension, revocation, or limitation as determined under 21 
AS 28.15.211(b).  22 
   * Sec. 19. AS 28.15.191(g) is amended to read: 23 
(g)  A court that has ordered a person to refrain from consuming alcoholic 24 
beverages as part of a sentence for conviction of a crime under AS 28.35.030, 25 
28.35.032, or a similar municipal ordinance or as a condition of probation or parole 26 
following a conviction under those sections or a similar municipal ordinance, or as a 27 
condition of probation or parole for any other crime shall  28 
(1) require the surrender of the person's physical license and 29 
identification card and forward the physical license and identification card to the 30 
department;  31    34-GS1033\A 
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(2)  report the order to the department within two days; and  1 
(3)  inform the person that the person's license and identification card 2 
are subject to cancellation under AS 28.15.161 and AS 18.65.310 and, if the person is 3 
otherwise qualified to receive a license or identification card, when the person obtains 4 
a new license or identification card, the license or identification card must list the 5 
restriction imposed by AS 04.16.160 for the period of probation or parole.  6 
   * Sec. 20. AS 28.15.191(h) is amended to read: 7 
(h)  The board of parole shall notify the department within two days whenever 8 
a person has been ordered to refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages as a 9 
condition of parole, shall require the person to surrender the person's physical license 10 
and identification card, and shall inform the person that the person's license and 11 
identification card are subject to cancellation under AS 28.15.161 and AS 18.65.310, 12 
and that, if the person is otherwise qualified to receive a license or identification card, 13 
when the person obtains a new license or identification card, the license or 14 
identification card must list the restriction imposed by AS 04.16.160.  15 
   * Sec. 21. AS 28.15.201(b) is amended to read: 16 
(b)  A court imposing a limitation under (a) of this section shall  17 
(1)  require certification of employment;  18 
(2)  require proof of enrollment in and compliance with or completion 19 
of an alcoholism treatment program when appropriate;  20 
(3)  require the surrender of the physical driver's license; and  21 
(4) issue to the licensee a certificate valid for the duration of the 22 
limitation.  23 
   * Sec. 22. AS 28.20.560(a) is amended to read: 24 
(a)  A person whose license or registration is suspended under any provision of 25 
this chapter, or whose policy of insurance or bond, when required under this chapter, 26 
is canceled or terminated, shall immediately return the person's physical license or 27 
registration to the department. If a person fails to return the license or registration to 28 
the department, the department, through the commissioner of public safety, shall 29 
immediately direct a peace officer to obtain possession of the license or registration 30 
[IT] and to return the license or registration [IT] to the department.  31    34-GS1033\A 
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   * Sec. 23. AS 28.22.041(d) is amended to read: 1 
(d)  When imposing a limitation under this section, the department shall  2 
(1)  require the surrender of the driver's physical license; and  3 
(2) issue to the licensee a certificate valid for the duration of the 4 
limitation. 5 
   * Sec. 24.  AS 28.33.100 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 6 
(j) Upon application, the department may issue an electronic commercial 7 
driver's license as provided under AS 28.15.126. 8 
   * Sec. 25. AS 28.33.140(i) is amended to read: 9 
(i)  In addition to the requirements of AS 28.15.191, a court that disqualifies a 10 
person from driving a commercial motor vehicle shall require the surrender of the 11 
physical license, and shall immediately forward the physical license to the department 12 
with the record of conviction and notification of the effective date of the 13 
disqualification. If the disqualification occurs by administrative action as described in 14 
(a) of this section, the person disqualified from driving shall surrender the physical 15 
license to the department.  16 
   * Sec. 26. AS 28.35.034 is amended to read: 17 
Sec. 28.35.034. Surrender of license or permit. A person whose license or 18 
permit to operate or drive a motor vehicle has been revoked under AS 28.15.165 or 19 
28.15.181 shall surrender the physical license or permit to the department on receipt 20 
of notice of the revocation. After the period of revocation has expired, the person may 21 
make application for a new license as provided by law. 22 
   * Sec. 27. AS 33.16.150(i) is amended to read: 23 
(i)  In addition to other conditions of parole imposed under this section, for a 24 
prisoner who is serving a sentence for an offense involving the use of alcohol and 25 
whom the board has ordered to refrain from possessing or consuming alcoholic 26 
beverages, the board shall require the surrender of the person's physical driver's 27 
license or identification card, forward the physical license or identification card to the 28 
department, and impose as a condition of parole that, if the parolee is eligible for a 29 
driver's license or identification card, the parolee shall apply to the department for a 30 
new license or identification card with a restriction imposed on the person under 31    34-GS1033\A 
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AS 04.16.160. The board shall notify the department of the board's order under this 1 
subsection by providing a copy of the board's order. Upon discharge from parole, the 2 
board shall notify the department of the parolee's discharge. In this subsection, 3 
"department" means the Department of Administration. 4 
   * Sec. 28. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 5