Bipartisan California Bill May Ban CLEAR

Bipartisan California Bill May Ban CLEAR

A pair of California state senators from opposing parties have a proposal that critics say would ban the expedited security screening company CLEAR from state airports.

The two senators frequently fly between their districts and Sacramento, and they have an issue with line skipping at airports.

The bill would require third-party vendors like CLEAR to get their own dedicated security lane or lose the ability to operate in California airports. But even with some bipartisan support, the bill still faces a tough path to passage. Many industry groups are against the measure that’s set to go before the Senate transportation committee Tuesday.

Currently, CLEAR customers pay $189 a year to verify their identities at airport. They are then  escorted past (often long) lines passengers to the front of TSA lines. 

CLEAR was founded in 2010. It currently provides identity verification services for expedited security screenings at 53 airports, as well as other venues like stadiums. It currently operates in nine California airports. It is different from TSA PreCheck, which expedites the actual security checkpoint process.

There are several credit cards that can get you CLEAR for free through a partnership with American Express, and we even see some money making deals when signing up.

CLEAR has faced scrutiny in the past when employees escorted passengers through TSA security checkpoints who were not enrolled in CLEAR and did not display identification. There was also a case where someone got through using a boarding pass they found in the trash.