Accomplishments
The Digital ID project launched in 2022 with the goal of facilitating easier access to all of California’s state benefits. Since then, CDT has forged ahead in developing technology and tools, engaging with the broader identity community, and developing policy to support the rollout of the Digital ID framework. A summary of our accomplishments is below.
CDT led a market sounding to solicit feedback from the private market and validate our technical assumptions around secure identity management for state entities.The team held interviews with 13 identity management and technology companies, summarizing the findings from these interviews in our final market sounding report(external link) in fall 2022. The market sounding was an essential first step in the process of developing the Digital ID framework, and helped ensure that CDT was developing tools and policies that were informed by industry best practices. These conversations with leading market parties confirmed our direction, elevated diverse perspectives around issues like distributed identity, and validated the proposition of the California Identity Gateway.
CDT built the California Identity Gateway, the technology platform that facilitates interaction between various digital entities (including state websites and identity and eligibility providers) for the purpose of securely sharing the information needed for identification and eligibility verification.
CDT partnered with the California Integrated Travel Project(external link) (Cal-ITP) o streamline the verification and enrollment process for discounted transit fares. By using Cal-ITP’s benefits client(external link), which leverages the Identity Gateway, riders can verify their senior or veteran status with local transit providers like MST (Monterey Salinas Transit) and SBMTD (Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District) and link their eligibility to their contactless bank card. Once linked, riders can receive their transit discount as soon as they tap their card. This reduced fare model is easily replicable and scalable, and Cal-ITP is continuing to help more agencies across the state implement this system. As of 2025, we’re seeing positive outcomes(external link): 68% increase in reduced-fare transactions and 870 number of reduced-fare transactions enabled by the CA Identity Gateway.
The Digital ID framework relies on secure access to multiple sources that provide trustworthy information about people in California and their eligibility for state services and benefits. To achieve this, CDT developed operational integrations with Login.Gov (external link), Department of Veteran Affairs (external link), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (external link), and the Department of Social Services (external link) that cover many key identity attributes such as age, veterans status, Medicare enrollment, and CalFresh status. The CDT is also actively working to implement additional integrations that will provide clients with more information about Californians such as income status.
CDT, in partnership with the Office of Data and Innovation(external link) (ODI), completed an analysis of state agencies that may be interested in near-term partnerships to improve eligibility verification. CDT continues to seek opportunities to support state agencies with implementing the digital ID framework, such as the California Public Utilities Commission (external link) (CPUC) consolidated application, California Privacy Protection Agency Delete Request Drop-Out Application (external link)and the 2025 Los Angeles wildfire disaster recovery center(external link).