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Utah Senate narrows use of unmarked highway patrol vehicles, approves bill to target DUI and aggressive driving
Summary
After amendments limiting expanded unmarked patrols to metropolitan counties, the Senate passed SB106 to allow targeted unmarked operations addressing DUI and aggressive driving on major corridors; an officer-uniform amendment (including hat) failed on the floor.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 10 approved Senate Bill 106, narrowing the circumstances in which state highway patrol officers may use unmarked vehicles and directing the program toward drunk and aggressive driving, particularly on the I‑15 corridor.
Sponsor Sen. Bramble told colleagues the bill is intended to focus enforcement on two problems—drunk driving and aggressive driving—and that patrol leaders and the superintendent supported a limited program targeted to areas with the greatest volume and traffic-safety problems. "The intent of this bill is to focus on two specific areas," Bramble said, citing DWI and reckless driving.
Sen. Hickman moved a floor amendment limiting any expansion of unmarked-vehicle operations to first- and second‑class (metropolitan) counties, saying the measure prevents rural deployment of expanded unmarked operations. "It limits them to the metropolitan counties of the state... so that we don't have these automobiles out in the rural part of the state," Hickman said.
Another amendment sought to add a uniform requirement ("including hat") to ensure officers remain visibly identifiable; that amendment failed after a floor vote. Sen. Butters quipped in opposition, "We're going to go to an unmarked car, and I'm gonna wear my patrol hat," underscoring opponents' view that a hat requirement undermined the unmarked-vehicle concept.
Sen. Wadups pressed language clarifying legislative intent to emphasize "aggressive driving" and to guard against perceived "speed traps," saying the change provided extra protection against that practice. After debate, the Hickman amendment limiting use to metropolitan counties and the clarifying language on aggressive driving were adopted.
The amended bill passed on a roll-call vote and will be referred to the House: the chair announced SB106 "received 25 aye votes, 6 no votes, 2 being absent" and the bill will be sent for further consideration.
The statute as amended requires supervisory approval for operations and restricts the expanded use of unmarked vehicles to the counties specified by the amendment. Next steps: SB106 goes to the Utah House for consideration and any further amendment there.
Reporting note: This account is based on floor debate and recorded votes during the Feb. 10 Utah Senate session.
