House amends and passes driver‑license reinstatement bill after debate over DUI penalties

The Utah House on Jan. 30 considered House Bill 226, a driver‑license reinstatement measure that drew extended floor attention because of committee amendments affecting DUI penalties and fiscal costs.

A floor explanation recounted that committee amendments would have increased penalties and revocation periods—for example, extending some revocations from 90 days to 180 days and lengthening penalties on second offenses—producing a fiscal note the sponsor estimated at $10–12 million. The sponsor said prosecutors and sheriffs raised operational concerns about housing and processing offenders under the stricter terms.

Members explained the pink‑sheet motion before the body would remove the committee changes and restore the bill text to what the floor sponsor recommended. After parliamentary discussion and a brief Q&A, the House adopted the pink‑sheet amendments, the bill as amended was put to a recorded vote, and HB226 passed 69–0. The bill was forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

Sponsor and supporters framed the measure as public‑safety oriented while acknowledging the need to balance penalty severity with counties’ capacity to implement longer revocations or incarceration. The House did not vote to adopt the stricter committee version; instead it adopted the floor amendments that removed those elements.