Session: State Capitol, Room 102 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Toll Free: (877) 465-3719 Phone: (907) 465-3719 Fax: (907) 465-3258 Personal Web Site: www.johncoghill.com Interim: 119 N Cushman Street, Suite 211 Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone: (907) 456-5081 Fax: (907) 456-8245

Sponsor Statement for HB 110
Social Security Number & Driver's Licenses

An Act relating to driver's licenses and instructional permits; and providing for an effective date.

Released: February 8, 2001

In recent years the federal government has increased their practice of using social security numbers for identification purposes. This has resulted in Alaska requiring a social security number to be placed on the driver's license and has also resulted in the Division of Motor Vehicles requiring a social security number to obtain or renew a driver's license. Recently DMV instituted a new policy that better met federal guidelines on the obtaining or renewing of a driver's license. Now a person can sign an affidavit that they have never obtained, been issued, or used a social security number and obtain or renew a driver's license. The purpose of this legislation is threefold.

1. HB 110 would place in statute the current policy of allowing for an affidavit for persons who have never had a social security number.
2. It will eliminate the practice of placing social security numbers on a driver's license.
3. The new policy set in this legislation would become effectively immediately rather than waiting until the sunset of HB 344.

I attempted to amend the statute to allow for persons who have completed a recission action with the social security administration in returning invalidating their social security number to sign an affidavit to that effect and obtain or renew an Alaska Driver's License. The Social Security Administration has indicated, however, that they have not approved any request to rescind a social security number.

Because a driver's license is a means of identification for clerks in stores accepting checks, airlines allowing passage on planes, and bank cashier cashing checks or processing withdrawals, there is a lot of access to a social security number placed on a driver's license. I believe this is an acceptable change to law to preserve the privacy of each Alaskan's social security number.

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