Gavin Newsom Signs Bill to Include QR Codes on Student IDs

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new bill on September 30 requiring QR codes on the back of student ID cards. 

Scanning these codes links to local mental health resources, allowing students easy access to relevant resources that can ease their mental stress. The bill applies to public and private school students from grades 7 through 12.

Amid the increasing rates of mental health illnesses, bills such as this are critical to improving children’s overall health and well-being. 

Catering to students’ mental health is important to their development. Aside from mental well-being, mental health usually encompasses emotional and behavioral states, affecting how they handle stress, communicate with others, and make smarter decisions.

Governor Newsom relies on QR codes in the announcement of the new bill

Symbolic of the bill, Governor Newsom’s announcement of signing the bill into law involves QR codes. The code, emblematic of the state flag, was placed in the memo to the senate.

Scanning this QR code document file leads to a separate memo acknowledging Ishmeet Singh, the high school student who was the inspiration for the creation of the bill. 

“I am thrilled that students across the state of California will now have essential mental health resources at their fingertips to combat their distress,” Newsom said. 

“With the concept of the QR code being ubiquitous in today’s modern era, it was essential to incorporate this technology in Student IDs to make resources more user-friendly,” he added.

Moreover, Senator Shannon Grove, the bill's author, celebrates it as the “first time in legislative history” that a QR code was used as a signing message.

“The Governor’s response to SB 1063 was epic...Not only did he sign my bill, but for the first time in [the] legislative history, he used a QR code for his signing message, highlighting how important it is to use modern technology to communicate,” Senator Grove posted on his personal account on X.

Student Singh’s contribution plays an integral part in the bill

Governor Newsom’s personalized note applauds Singh for “engaging civically and making a change for the better.”

“Kudos to you for bringing this bill idea to Senator Grove. You recognized that by modernizing student ID cards with a QR code, students can have easier access to information about local mental health services,” he added.

Meanwhile, in a press release by Newsom's office, Singh commends the use of QR codes to make mental health resources more accessible to students facing mental health crises.

Initiatives to strengthen access to mental health resources for students and on campus

By every measurable metric, student mental health is on a decline. From 2011 to 2012, 8.4% of 6–17 years old are suffering from depression and anxiety.

Not only grade-level and high school students experience worse mental health, but more so college students, with at least 60% experiencing at least one mental health illness based on the Healthy Minds Study.

Amid this decline in student mental health, educational facilities are employing psychologists and promoting a culture of wellness and support among students.

“Counseling centers have seen extraordinary increases in demand over the past decade,” Michael Gerard Mason, PhD, associate dean of African American Affairs at the University of Virginia, said.

“Our counseling staff has almost tripled in size, but even if we continue hiring, I don’t think we could ever staff our way out of this challenge,” he added.

Laws like the ones recently signed by Governor Newsom should help spur mental healthcare resources and faculties and make schools more open to students' challenges.

Applications of QR codes in documents, now in official papers and state laws

QR codes in documents aren’t new. In fact, the use of a free QR code generator has allowed many educators, freelancers, and businesses to disseminate information more effectively and streamline their processes.

With the passing of this bill into law, however, QR codes are now being used in official papers and state laws. In fact, they are the first of their kind, at least in the United States.

Modern technologies, such as QR codes, have become so ingrained into daily life that it is difficult to avoid them at all costs—even in legal documents issued by the state or the federal government. The best thing to do is to embrace these technologies.