Repeal of driver cards for illegal immigrants passes House committee

Utah's undocumented immigrants may no longer be able to drive legally, after the House Law Enforcement Committee sent to the floor a bill to repeal driving privilege cards, in a party line 6-3 vote.

The cards were created in 2005, as a compromise that allowed undocumented drivers to get insurance without being able to hold a driver license. Rep. Glenn Donnelson, R-North Ogden, says he's sponsoring HB239 to repeal the cards because keeping them in place is a national security concern, because the cards give the undocumented official state documentation.

Donnelson added that the estimated 41,000 card holders is far short of the total undocumented population, estimated as high as 100,000 by the Pew Hispanic Center.

However, Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, pointed to a recent legislative audit which found 76 percent of the drivers using the driving privilege card were insured, a one percent increase over a similar audit done last year.

"We should not turn our backs on public safety because of Congress's failure to enact comprehensive immigration reform," Litvack said.

The bill was held from a vote earlier this week because of concerns the repeal would also mean legal residents, such as those with student visas, would also loose the cards. Donnelson clarified this morning that under his bill, drivers who could prove they're legal but don't qualify for a Social Security card, would be able to turn in their cards and get a driver license.

Nanette Rolfe, director of the Driver License Division, told committee members that that her department would lose two employees if the bill becomes law. Lawmakers this session will also consider a bill to tighten restrictions on the driving privilege card so it can't be used for identification and so that a lack of insurance would be reason to pull the cards.

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