HR 5330119th CongressIntroduced

SAFE Driving Laws Act

Introduced: Sep 11, 2025

Infrastructure

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The SAFE Driving Laws Act would condition a portion of federal highway funds on whether states restrict driver’s license issuance to individuals who can prove citizenship or lawful permanent residence (LPR) and whether they allow sharing immigration enforcement information with federal authorities. Specifically, starting in fiscal year 2027, states that do not have a law prohibiting licenses for people without proof of citizenship or LPR, or that otherwise block local or state entities from collecting or sharing immigration enforcement information with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), would see 50 percent of their Highway Trust Fund allocations withheld. The bill also requires the Transportation Department (DOT) and DHS to maintain a public compliance database and defines what counts as immigration enforcement information. In short, it links highway funding to state immigration licensing policies and information-sharing practices.

Key Points

1Withholding of funds: The Secretary of Transportation would withhold 50% of a state’s apportioned highway funds on the first day of each fiscal year beginning in FY 2027 if the state is not in compliance.
2Compliance requirements for states: To be compliant, a state must (1) have a law prohibiting the issuance of driver’s licenses to individuals lacking proof of United States citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and (2) may not prohibit or restrict local or state government entities from collecting or sharing immigration enforcement information with DHS.
3Public compliance database: The Secretaries of Transportation and Homeland Security must determine each state’s compliance status and maintain a publicly accessible database showing compliance for each state.
4Definition of immigration enforcement information: Includes information about a person’s citizenship/immigration status and the date, time, and location of any release from detention, jail, or prison.
5Conforming amendment: The bill adds an analysis entry to the U.S. Code for “Issuance of drivers licenses to individuals who do not have proof of citizenship or lawful permanent residence.”

Impact Areas

Primary: States’ departments of motor vehicles and licensing authorities, and individuals who may be affected by licensing rules (including undocumented immigrants who rely on driver’s licenses and their families). Potentially affects state budgeting and highway funding levels tied to licensing policy.Secondary: Federal agencies (DOT and DHS), local governments and law enforcement, and taxpayers who fund highway programs and may be affected by cross-agency information sharing.Additional impacts: Creation of a public compliance database could raise transparency but also political and legal considerations around state sovereignty and privacy; potential legal challenges or debates over federal overreach into state licensing and local information-sharing practices; administrative burden on states to craft compliant licensing laws and ensure data-sharing capabilities.

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