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Utah House Approves Measure Letting State Patrol Use One Unmarked Vehicle for Selective Traffic Enforcement
Summary
The Utah House passed HB 9 as amended after heated debate over unmarked police vehicles and public safety. Supporters said limited use by uniformed Highway Patrol officers will deter aggressive driving; opponents warned of visibility loss and safety risks for motorists and women stopping for unmarked cars.
The Utah House on Jan. 25 approved House Bill 9, permitting the Utah Highway Patrol to use a limited unmarked vehicle for selective traffic enforcement, passing the measure 38–35.
Sponsor Representative Gladwell said the amendment narrows the bill to allow the Highway Patrol to employ one unmarked vehicle in targeted operations and stressed that the officers working those vehicles will be in full uniform. "They already have these unmarked cars," Gladwell said, adding the amendment clarifies how they may be used.
Supporters, including Representative Bush, argued the change would help deter dangerous driving and aggressive driving incidents without requiring a large expansion of marked units. Bush said the practice is intended to change drivers' behavior and reduce fatal incidents: "This is the way we think it will help to cut them down."
Opponents warned of unintended consequences. Representative Cox and others said the bill as described in the public debate had created misunderstandings about when motorists must stop for officers. Cox emphasized that the bill was not intended to remove existing obligations to yield to authorized emergency vehicles but cautioned about public confusion. Representative Vaca raised specific safety concerns, saying "a lot of women have been hurt stopping for unmarked cars, not knowing if they were highway patrol or not," and said that risk informed her decision to oppose the bill.
Some members questioned whether the use of unmarked vehicles could reduce visible deterrence provided by marked patrol cars. Representative Harper said moving toward more unmarked cars could undermine the visibility that deters crime and traffic violations.
The House adopted Amendment No. 3, which Representative Gladwell and colleagues described as a coordinating change limiting application to the Highway Patrol and ensuring the use of existing inventory rather than a fleet expansion. After extended debate on public-safety tradeoffs and operational details, the bill passed and will be sent to the Senate for further consideration.
The action leaves several open questions about operational limits, public outreach to reduce confusion, and whether local municipalities will adjust enforcement practices; the House record shows a close vote and substantial floor debate. The measure now moves to the Senate.
