Senate panel hears bill to add U.S. citizenship marker to Montana driver’s licenses

Senate Bill 91, a proposal to add a visible U.S. citizenship marker (an eagle) to Montana driver’s licenses and state identification cards, was the subject of an extended hearing before the Montana Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sponsor Sen. Theresa Manzella, R–District 44, opened by saying the bill would require licenses and ID cards issued on or after Jan. 1, 2026, to display an eagle image “to signify the licensee status as a United States citizen.” She said the measure came from the Law and Justice Interim Committee and would help election administrators and agencies that distribute benefits to verify citizenship at a glance.

Supporters, including an official speaking for Secretary of State Christi Jacobson and multiple election judges and residents, urged lawmakers to pass the bill. Austin James, representing the secretary of state, called the marker a way for Montanans to “proudly display their status as an American,” and proponents who called in or arrived in person said the marker would make it easier at the polls and assist law enforcement.

Opponents, including Keaton Sunchild of Western Native Voice, questioned whether a symbol would actually address immigration concerns or meaningfully reduce the low levels of documented noncitizen voting. Sunchild and others said the Real ID rollout and existing ID categories already confuse some communities and warned an additional marker could create more administrative burden or lead to unequal treatment of tribal and other groups.

Laurie Bakri, administrator of the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), provided technical information requested by senators. She said the current licensing process already records whether a person is a U.S. citizen or lawfully present; a Real ID or standard license certifies lawful presence but does not assert citizenship. Bakri also reviewed implementation costs and timing: IDEMIA, the state’s card producer, would need changes to issue a citizenship marker; vendor work reduced the fiscal-note estimate from an earlier, larger figure to roughly $117,000 for vendor changes and a total one-time cost of about $177,000 (a change from the fiscal note printed earlier). Bakri said the MVD would begin issuing marked credentials on Jan. 1, 2026, if the law passed, and that full turnover by renewal schedules could take up to 12 years (CDL renewals: 4 years; Real ID: 8 years; standard license: 12 years), though individuals could request replacements earlier.

Committee members pressed several practical questions. Sen. Benton asked whether published statistics document voter fraud; Austin James said the secretary of state’s office does not publish systemic voter-fraud statistics. Sen. Smith and others sought clarity on how a lawfully present noncitizen (for example, on a work or student visa) would continue to receive licenses yet not be eligible to vote. Bakri confirmed lawful presence allows a person to obtain a license but does not confer voting rights; citizenship and lawful presence are different evidentiary standards. Sen. Olson raised concerns about potential discriminatory treatment if members of the public or officers misinterpret the absence of the eagle as evidence someone is in the country unlawfully.

Supporters described operational benefits: an election judge said election-day lines caused by same-day registration checks could be shortened if an ID clearly flagged citizen status. Opponents emphasized existing identity-verification systems (including SAVE, the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) and said the marginal gains of a visible marker do not outweigh potential confusion and harms.

Manzella closed by reiterating that a driver’s license or Social Security card does not alone verify citizenship and that only documents such as a passport, naturalization papers, or a birth certificate do so. She asked the committee for a do-pass recommendation and noted statutory citations discussed during the hearing, including the MVD–secretary of state memorandum referenced as 13-2-107 and the federal National Voter Registration Act (52 U.S.C. chapter 20501) cited in testimony about voter registration documentation.

The committee did not take a formal vote during this hearing.