When it comes to undocumented drivers, lawmakers will be considering at least two approaches this session. One would revoke their ticket to drive; the other would make it more restrictive.

Driving privilege cards were created in 2005 as a way to allow undocumented immigrants to drive legally with insurance but without having a valid state ID. However, critics say the card is a perk being used beyond its driving-only intent for purposes ranging from cashing checks to buying beer.

"We're seeing the driving privilege card being used to buy alcohol, to buy firearms, to buy medication," Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, said. "It is being used for age verification."

While the code that created the cards says they can't be used for identification, it says nothing about age verification, Daw says. So he's drafting a bill to prohibit the cards from being used as age verification, and to revoke the cards of uninsured drivers.

"The big problem I have with a repeal is I don't want to punish citizens for people who are here illegally," he said. "If I'm driving an uninsured car and I hit some- body, who pays for that?"

In 2005, the idea of a driving privilege card was a controversial one when Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo, introduced it. Undocumented immigrants protested, wanting to keep their ability to hold a Utah driver's license.

The driving privilege cards came on the heels of an audit that showed Utah's relatively lenient driver's license requirements at the time were being abused. Lawmakers also tightened the license restrictions. Now, undocumented immigrants could lose their legal driving privileges all together.

Sen. Bill Hickman, R-St. George, has said repealing the cards will be included in a comprehensive bill that he's drafting. And Rep. Glenn Donnelson is sponsoring HB239 to repeal the cards. Donnelson is also sponsoring HB26, which would prevent notary publics from accepting driving privilege cards as identification.

He says the 2005 law already says driving privilege cards can't be used for identification, but they are anyway.

"When we put it in law, we said it cannot be used for identification, and they are using it for identification," Donnelson said. "Does it help to put it into the law? No, it doesn't."

In 2007, approximately 41,000 cards, which are valid for one year, were issued, said Jeff Nigbur, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

A 2006 audit found that 75 percent of a pool of 2,500 driving privilege cardholders were insured, compared to 81 percent of 2,500 driver's license holders, said Nigbur.

Bramble says preliminary indications from a new legislative audit show that the current ratio of insured driving privilege card holders could be higher than that.

"We can't stop them from driving on our roads," Bramble said. "A driving privilege card protects the rest of the citizens."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com