Colorado is moving forward with a program to allow its residents to generate a digital version of their driver's license or state identification card using a cellphone app. Using the Digital ID, users can present proof of identification, age and address within Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order this week saying that the electronic IDs may be accepted as a legal form of identification.
What does this mean for state-regulated businesses?
As of October 30, 2019 the Colorado business community is highly encouraged to begin accepting the Digital ID, and state agencies are advised to accept it beginning Dec. 1 2019. Colorado law enforcement agencies will continue to require physical forms of identification by members of the public. The aim is to evolve with technology and provide another secure, visual representation of IDs beyond the traditional physical format.
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division's approach to its current rule will allow licensee acceptance of Colorado Digital IDs until permanent proposed rules come into effect January 1, 2020. The MED will also begin accepting Colorado Digital IDs for occupational license applicants at all of its four offices beginning on Dec. 1 2019. With that, cannabis business are encouraged to accept these IDs for identification purposes.
"We are ready to do so," said Kristi Kelly with the Marijuana Industry Group. "The state's ID app has a lot of anti-fraud technology to minimize the potential for unauthorized entry into Colorado's medical and retail stores." She also recommended that "any medical and retail stores that do not already use a handheld scanner for ID verification begin doing so."
According to The Colorado Division of Gaming industry-wide gaming bulletin number 57, the Colorado Digital ID "is a legal digital representation of a Colorado driver license within Colorado and, therefore, is valid for acceptance anywhere age or identity verification is required.
There are several ways to test that a Colorado Digital ID is legitimate as stated by the Colorado Department of Revenue:
1. Ask the holder to rotate the phone to see if the free-floating flower hologram appears to move. If it does not move, the image is a static photo and not the hologram, indicating a counterfeit.
2. Ask the holder to press on the Digital ID so you can see if the text size changes. 3. Ask the holder to close the app, restart it, log back in, and show their Colorado Digital ID within the myColorado app.
Coloradans who use the Digital ID still must carry a physical form of identification if they plan to drive or fly. Law enforcement agencies are still planning on how to handle these Digital IDs given federal agencies currently do not accept them. The Digital ID is set to be a compliment to a physical ID, not a replacement. To learn how to sign up and for more info on the Colorado Digital ID, follow the links below:
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