HB 392: Unlicensed Driver Amendments

Should a Utah driver have their vehicle impounded simply for forgetting their wallet at home? The answer is no.

Libertas Institute opposes HB 392, sponsored by Representative Matt MacPherson, as it represents an unnecessary expansion of government authority. One of the most concerning provisions of this bill is the ability to impound a vehicle without a warrant if the driver does not have their license on hand.

If enacted, this policy would impose undue financial hardship on individuals through costly impound fees and lost time retrieving their vehicle. Additionally, the bill introduces on-the-spot fingerprinting, raising serious privacy concerns. While proponents claim that biometric data will not be stored, the best way to prevent potential government overreach is to eliminate the practice altogether.

The role of government is to protect individual rights and facilitate free enterprise—not to impose excessive penalties for minor infractions. Impounding a vehicle simply because a driver forgot their license is an unnecessary and disproportionate punishment.