Assembly BillIntroducedCivil
AB 1839: Privacy: driver’s license information.
What AB 1839 does, verified February 20, 2026
<p>This bill amends the existing law to prohibit businesses and organ procurement organizations from scanning or swiping driver's licenses or identification cards for any purpose other than prescribed verification and informational purposes. The law currently prohibits retaining or using the information for any other purpose, and a violation is considered a misdemeanor.</p> <p>The bill makes nonsubstantive changes to the existing provisions, essentially maintaining the current restrictions on the use of driver's license information.</p>
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: From printer. May be heard in committee March 14. (2026-02-12)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Feb. 12, 2026 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 14. |
| Feb. 11, 2026 | Read first time. To print. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 11, 2026 · 653 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1839
| Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon |
February 11, 2026 |
An act to amend Section 1798.90.1 of the Civil Code, relating to privacy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1839, as introduced, Calderon. Privacy: driver’s license information.
Existing law authorizes a business to scan or swipe a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles in any electronic device for prescribed verification and informational purposes. Existing law authorizes an organ procurement organization, as defined, to scan or swipe a driver’s license or identification card to transmit information for the purpose of allowing an individual to identify themselves as a registered organ donor, subject to a specified procedure. Existing law prohibits a business or organ procurement organization from retaining or using that information for any other purpose. A violation of those provisions is a misdemeanor.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1798.90.1 of the Civil Code is amended to read:1798.90.1.
(a) (1) A business may scan or swipe a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles in any electronic device for the following purposes:(A) To verify age or the authenticity of the driver’s license or identification card.
(B) To comply with a legal requirement to record, retain, or transmit that information.
(C) To transmit information to a check service company for the purpose of approving negotiable instruments, electronic funds transfers, or similar methods of payments, provided that only the name and identification number from the license or the card may be used or retained by the check service company.
(D) To collect or disclose personal information that is required for reporting, investigating, or preventing fraud, abuse, or material misrepresentation.
(2) (A) An organ procurement organization may scan or swipe a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles in any electronic device to transmit information to the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry established pursuant to Section 7150.90 of the Health and Safety Code for the purposes of allowing an individual to identify himself or herself themselves as a registered organ donor. Information gathered or transmitted pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with the Department of Motor Vehicles Information Security Agreement.
(B) Prior to scanning or swiping a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, an organ procurement organization shall provide clear and conspicuous notice to the applicant and shall follow the procedure prescribed in this subparagraph:
(i) Once the applicant’s information is populated on the electronic form, the applicant shall verify that the information is accurate and shall click “submit” after reading a clear and conspicuous consent message, which shall not be combined with or contained within another message, acknowledging that the applicant’s information will be used for the sole purpose of being added to the registry.
(ii) The applicant shall provide his or her their signature to complete registration.
(iii) The organization or registry system shall provide a written confirmation to the applicant confirming that he or she the applicant is signed up as an organ and tissue donor.
(3) A business or organ procurement organization shall not retain or use any of the information obtained by that electronic means for any purpose other than as provided herein.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) “Business” means a proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or any other form of commercial enterprise.
(2) “Organ procurement organization” means a person designated by the Secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services as an organ procurement organization.
(c) A violation of this section constitutes is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for no more than one year, or by a fine of no more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both.
Text of AB 1839 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions