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Smartphones already function as phones, calculators, compasses, computers, cameras, clocks and more. In Utah, there's talk of making them the driver license of the future.

Rep. Craig Hall, R-West Valley City, is working on legislation to allow the state to issue "electronic driver licenses" on smartphone apps to those who want them instead of — or in addition to — traditional plastic-card licenses.

But he is the first to acknowledge plenty of problems must be overcome first and is asking fellow lawmakers to consider the idea closely — and give him feedback about concerns and possible solutions.

"So much of our lives is on our phones: our communication, our finances, our news, our documents, our travel arrangements," he said in a recent presentation to the Transportation Interim Committee.

So drivers "are getting to the point where some of them, at least, want this to happen" with driver licenses on smartphones, he said.

Several states — Iowa, Arizona, Delaware and others — are discussing or developing pilot programs to accomplish the same thing. Hall notes that the Utah Driver License Division was already exploring the idea before he approached it about legislation.

Hall envisions that electronic licenses would look much like the current plastic cards, including a photo, address and a scanable bar code.

"It is my intention to make this completely voluntary," he adds.

Some of the advantages he sees are that the driver license would always be with the person carrying the phone, it could be instantly updated via an app for such things as new addresses, and it may be more secure than plastic cards by requiring a PIN or biometrics (such as facial recognition) for use.

But he also sees a long list of challenges.

One is preventing counterfeiting. "It seems like it would be pretty easy to Photoshop" or duplicate with computers, said Rep. Stewart Barlow, R-Fruit Heights.

Clark Caras, director of the driver license division, said the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators is working on methods to prevent counterfeiting and to allow authentication of electronic licenses. "Those efforts are just starting because the technology is just starting to get there."

Another challenge is securing personal information on phones. As Hall said, "Does everyone feel comfortable giving their phone to a police officer to take back to their police car? Could an officer snoop around in other parts of your phone? This is a legitimate concern. But there are solutions to this concern."

Lawmakers could require officers to simply write down a driver license number, or scan it, as the driver watches, he said. Or apps could be designed to lock the phone until the owner enters a code.

Hall notes that in 2013, Utah passed a law to allow proof of insurance for cars to be on smartphones — and that law also prohibited police from snooping around on phones handed to them.

Yet another problem is ensuring that other states would recognize the licenses, or that establishments, from bars to airports, would accept them as government-issued identification.

Hall said that may require issuing both an electronic and a plastic license at first, until e-licenses become more common and are accepted nationally.

A final set of concerns — raised by Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City — is what happens if drivers lose their cellphones or they run out of battery power? Or what happens if the license holder is pulled over in an area without mobile service?

Hall said that situation is akin to people now forgetting a purse or wallet with their license, and would be handled the same way. Caras said police, through dispatchers, have access to a state database of licenses, so they could verify licenses that way.

Rep. Dean Sanpei, R-Provo, said with all those problems, it may be wise to let other states take the lead to work out bugs before Utah tries its own. "When you're the first to build it, there's all kinds of complications."

Hall largely agreed. "I don't think there is an urgency to be first," he said. "I think there are great things we can learn from other states."

But, he added, "I want to present it as an option, once we get everything worked out."