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Senate advances bill to mark U.S. citizenship on driver’s licenses after amendment vote
Summary
Senate committee recommended passage of a bill to require an eagle emblem on licenses for U.S. citizens after a failed amendment to make the marker optional; the measure was later re‑referred to the financing claims committee on the floor.
The Montana Senate on Feb. 5 advanced Senate Bill 91, a measure that would require driver’s licenses and identification cards issued to U.S. citizens to display an eagle emblem indicating U.S. citizenship, but floor action later sent the bill to financing claims for fiscal review.
Senator Hunter Mansella sponsored the bill. In committee Mansella told senators the emblem would appear on citizen licenses beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and that noncitizen applicants would continue to be verified for lawful presence using the federal SAVE system. "On or after 01/01/2026, an identification card issued pursuant to this section to a citizen of The United States must display an image of an eagle to signify the licensing status as a United States citizen," Mansella said on the floor during her opening remarks.
A floor amendment offered by Senator Newman would have made the depiction optional, modeled on voluntary markings used in several other states. The amendment sponsor argued the optional approach would reduce risks of profiling and better match the practice used by border states to ease cross‑border travel. Newman said the optional emblem was supported elsewhere and would "garner wider support." The amendment failed on a 20–30 vote.
Committee vote: The committee reported SB 91 do pass, 32–18 (aye/nay), and the bill was placed for third reading. On the full‑floor later in the day the majority leader moved to re‑refer SB 91 to the financing claims committee for fiscal review.
Why this matters: The bill changes the appearance and data treatment of state identification documents and explicitly requires a federal verification step (SAVE) for noncitizen applicants. Supporters said it promotes clarity and patriotism; opponents raised concerns about profiling, constitutional and classification issues (distinguishing this change from enhanced IDs that provide border‑crossing privileges) and about whether the optional model used elsewhere was preferable.
Provenance (topic intro/finish): - topicintro evidence: block_id="1559" evidence_excerpt:"Mister chairman, I move that when this committee does rise and report after having had under consideration senate bill 91, that it recommend the same due pass." (sponsor introduces SB 91 in committee) - topfinish evidence: block_id="2194" evidence_excerpt:"Mr. Chairman, 32 senators vote aye and 18 senators vote nay. With 32 voting aye, and 18 voting no, senate bill number 91, pass the second reading." (committee tally on floor)
