Utah House votes to eliminate driver's privilege card after heated debate over insurance and immigration

The Utah House passed House Bill 239, the driver license qualification amendments, eliminating the state's driver's privilege card in a 39-35 vote after more than an hour of debate over insurance coverage, identity verification and immigration policy.

Representative L. Donaldson, the bill sponsor, framed the measure as a security and identification problem, saying the state's privilege card "undermine[s] the federal effort to enforce immigration laws" and arguing that cards issued using IRS ITIN numbers provide weak identity verification. Quoting remarks attributed to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Donaldson told colleagues: "I do not think it's a good idea to give undocumented workers driver's licenses or IDs of any kind." He urged the House to reject what he called a policy that "facilitates illegal immigration."

Supporters of the card countered that it advances public safety by increasing insurance coverage among drivers who otherwise might be uninsured. Representative Litvak cited the Legislative Auditor General, saying that audits found roughly "75%" to "76%" of privilege-card holders carried auto insurance and argued the policy "is working and is accomplishing its intent." Representative Sheryl Allen shared a personal example: "The driver was an immigrant. The car was insured," and said access to insurance made a difference for accident victims.

Other lawmakers stressed competing priorities. Representative Moss read a letter from a long-serving state trooper who warned that repealing the card could leave victims "a victim twice" if at-fault drivers lacked insurance. Representative Sandstrom and others questioned the card's identity safeguards and raised the possibility of identity fraud. Several members, including Representative Herod, framed the debate as balancing "hope versus the rule of law," saying removal of the card was part of a broader response to illegal immigration.

Sponsor and supporters responded that the card's use of ITIN numbers and the absence of robust identity verification pose real risks. Donaldson said the state lacks reliable information about cardholders' true identities and argued the state should not accept identification that could be obtained without in-person verification.

The vote came after multiple members asked technical and policy questions and after the sponsor clarified that, if the bill became law, "driver's privilege cards are eliminated and those that are here legally go back to getting a regular driver's license issued by the state." The House clerk announced the final tally on the floor as 39 yes and 35 no, and the bill passed.

The bill now moves to further processing consistent with usual legislative procedures.

The House then recessed for lunch and agreed to reconvene at 2 p.m.