Among 22 states considering new legislation.
Texas state lawmakers are engaged in one of the hottest legislative trends of 2013, something that could help get you out of a traffic ticket. They're talking about allowing drivers to provide proof of insurance electronically.
With pretty much everyone owning a smart phone these days, and insurers offering their own apps, backers say now is the time for this type of law.
"We think this will make it easier for both the consumers out there and peace officers," says Beaman Floyd at the Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance Solutions. "It will cut down on mistakes or confusions about whether people have insurance."
State Rep. Jose Menendez says a law like this also will keep people honest.
"Then we can get around these people who sometimes get the card for the sake of having a card," the San Antonio Democrat tells KTRH News. "They try to skirt the law by getting a six-month card but only pay for a month or two."
Menendez says this is a case where state law has to keep up with technology.
"Police officers now have these little machines that they can scan things," he says. "So it’s just like the app people use when going to Starbucks, a police officer can scan that and see whether you have up to date insurance."
Then there's the cost savings of not having to tie up the judicial system just to prove you had insurance when pulled over.
"This is just another tool they'll have to protect themselves from having to go to court at a later date to prove they have the insurance they already paid for," says Joe Woods with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
