The Utah House passed a bill empowering law enforcement to impound vehicles driven by individuals without a license, driver's privilege card, or learner permit, addressing a rise in crashes caused by unlicensed drivers, including potential impacts on immigrant drivers.
SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers in the Utah House have approved a bill targeting unlicensed drivers , including immigrants, though they aren't specifically singled out in the bill's language.As described by HB136 sponsor Rep.
Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City, the bill is aimed at addressing the rising numbers of crashes caused by unlicensed drivers. The measure, approved by the Utah House on Monday in a 55-12 vote, would give law enforcement officials authority to impound vehicles operated by drivers lacking a license, driver's privilege card or learner permit, thereby preventing them from driving on Utah's roadways.It now goes to the Utah Senate for consideration.The number of car crashes in Utah has actually declined in the last five years, MacPherson said, but the concentration of accidents caused by unlicensed motorists in the time frame has increased fivefold. In West Valley City alone, he said, 34% of car crashes are caused by unlicensed drivers."These are staggering numbers, and they are increasing at a fast pace, and we need to provide tools to law enforcement to try to tackle this issue," he said.MacPherson said the measure is aimed at lawbreakers, regardless of their personal identifiers, but both supporters and foes singled out the potential impact of the measure on immigrant drivers.Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, said a "disproportionate" number of hit-and-run accidents and speeding cases in school zones are found to be caused by "noncitizens" lacking a driving credential, whether a license or driving privilege card. U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants can apply for driver's licenses while immigrants in the country illegally and certain other classes of immigrants may get driving privilege cards, allowing them to legally drive in Utah."It's very important that people get the driving credential, that they take the test, that they learn to understand what our signs mean so that they can drive safely on our roads and keep Utahns safe and keep other noncitizens safe who are driving on the roads with credentials," Lisonbee said. She voted for the measure.On the flip side, Rep. Rosalba Dominguez, D-Salt Lake City, criticized the bill, worried about its impact on the immigrant community."In execution, it does more harm than good, specifically to our non-English speaking individuals who already face challenges within our state to take the driving privilege card," she said. While the written tes
Utah Legislation Unlicensed Drivers Immigration Traffic Safety
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