Limits on driving privilege card stall in committee

A bill that would have tweaked current law to say that driving cards cannot be used to register a vehicle failed in a legislative committee late Tuesday afternoon.

HB344, sponsored by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, would have specified that someone approaching the state to register a vehicle needed to have a valid driver's license "other than a driving privilege card," that is issued to people who cannot document legal status but have IRS-issued Taxpayer Identification Numbers or a Matricula Consular card issued to Mexican nationals living in Utah.

Driving privilege cards cannot be used as age identification to purchase alcohol or to register a car with the Division of Motor Vehicles. However, Sandstrom told the House Transportation Committee he spoke with attorneys who believed it should be "specifically set forward in statute."

"Are you targeting illegal aliens with this bill?" asked committee member Rep. Steven Mascaro, R-West Jordan.

"Yes I am," Sandstrom said.

Mascaro argued successfully against the bill, saying that it is an immigration issue and the legislature has relegated such issues to an immigration task force. "It's something that requires more than a 20-minute discussion by this body," he said.

In the end, the majority of the committee decided to move onto the next agenda item, without voting on HB344.

— Laura Hancock