OLYMPIA – Minors will have an easier time applying for driver licenses and gaining basic ID cards commonly used for a wide range of identification purposes, under legislation signed into law today.
“For far too long, the only people authorized to sign a minor’s driver license application have been a parent, guardian or employer,” said Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn), the bill’s sponsor. “This prevents many youths living with other family members, or in foster care, or in other circumstances, from obtaining a driver’s license. And guess what – this is a major barrier to the everyday needs of today’s youths.”
SB 5800, sponsored by Wilson at the request of the state Department of Licensing, will broadly extend the authority to sign a minor’s driver license application to grandparents and foster parents as well as anyone over the age of 21 who: has a familial, kinship or caretaker relationship to a minor; directly provides support to a minor as an educational, medical, legal, social service, or Washington State licensed mental health professional; or is an employee of a government entity who provides support to a minor in a professional capacity.
Wilson’s bill also streamlines access to get an at-cost ID card, removing a requirement for written referral from state agencies for recipients of public assistance who qualify for the cards, and adding flexibility to how DOL verifies eligibility, including electronic verification.
Looking to the future, the bill also directs the agency to study the feasibility of offering a reduced-fee ID card.
“For many of us, getting a driver license is a simple rite of passage, but for some it’s an obstacle to performing routine tasks,” Wilson said. “There are all kinds of ways we can make it easier to get a license or ID card that is a common component of everyday life.”
The bill directs DOL to study the feasibility of offering reduced-fee ID cards for people of limited means and to review national best practices followed by other states across our nation.
