The Overview

Ready to ditch your physical drivers license card for a digital one on your phone? California drivers now have far more room to sign up for the mobile license program. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law on July 13, that raises the enrollment limit for California's mobile driver's license pilot program from 15% to 60% of licensed drivers, and participation is voluntary. ​

California's Transportation budget trailer bill, SB 169 became law when Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed it July 13. California transit agencies have faced worsening post-pandemic finances as fare revenues remained depressed, costs rose and federal pandemic-relief funds ran out, according to the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies. The law takes effect immediately as an appropriations measure.

What the Law Does

The cap on enrollment in California's mobile driver's license pilot program rises fourfold, from 15 percent to 60 percent of licensed drivers. Transit operators get relief too: the law extends the suspension of penalties for failing to meet fare-revenue-to-operating-cost ratios under the Mills-Alquist-Deddeh Act, also known as the Transportation Development Act, through the 2026–27 fiscal year, and extends the exemption from State Transit Assistance Program efficiency standards through 2026–27.

The law raises the cap on the SR-710 Rehabilitation Account from $1.2 million to $15 million, as The Penn reported. That account funds required repairs to surplus residential properties the Department of Transportation sells; amounts above the cap transfer to the State Highway Account for projects in specified cities and the 90032 ZIP code.

The law also requires the High-Speed Rail Authority's inspector general to publish completed audit reports online and notify the Governor and Legislature, though portions posing a substantial and articulable risk to the project may be withheld.

Legislative Status

The Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review sponsored the bill. The Senate passed it 28–10 on March 20, 2025. The Assembly passed it 57–15 on June 29, 2026, and the Senate approved it 30–9 the same day. Gov. Newsom described the law as a measure to modernize the DMV and expand access to mobile driver's licenses.

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AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

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