Photo: dusanpetkovic / iStock / Getty Images
FLORIDA - A Florida state representative has proposed a bill to end the sale of residents’ driver license and identification card data by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Representative Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a Republican from District 91, filed the “Motor Vehicle Operator Privacy Act” to address concerns about the long-running practice of sharing personal information with commercial and foreign entities.
Ryan Gorman and Dana McKay cover this story and more on The Ryan Gorman Show:
According to state audits and public records, Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has generated about $490 million in revenue over the past 15 years through data-sharing agreements.
The information reportedly sold includes names, addresses, dates of birth, driver license numbers, driving histories, crash records, vehicle information, organ donor status, and in some cases, photographs.
Gossett-Seidman said these sales occurred without residents’ consent or a way to opt out.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the commercial sale of driver and ID information, restrict foreign-owned companies from accessing the data, and require written consent for any non-law-enforcement disclosures.
It would also prevent insurance companies and third parties from using DMV data for marketing or risk scoring, mandate public reporting on permitted data access, and apply privacy protections retroactively.
The bill aims to end all existing contracts that allow data sales and would take effect on July 1st, 2026, if passed.
Gossett-Seidman said the measure is intended to strengthen privacy and prevent misuse of personal information.