Missouri Driver’s License Photo Biometrics Plan in Limbo

Missouri appears to have slowed work on a high-tech computer program that would conduct a biometric analysis of photos taken for state driver’s licenses and identification cards.

The Associated Press has obtained an email sent last week from the manager of Missouri’s driver’s license bureau to employees at MorphoTrust USA telling the contractor that work was to immediately stop on the photo validation project. The email was sent shortly after a Senate committee approved a budget plan that would eliminate funding for the contract.

The email was labeled “photo validation project canceled.” But a spokeswoman for the state Office of Administration says the MorphoTrust contract was not canceled.

State budget director Linda Luebbering said Tuesday the state doesn’t want to incur new costs while the contract faces budgetary uncertainty.