A state representative’s attempt to raise Utah drivers’ license fees is already in trouble.
Rep. Eric Hutchings, R-Kearns, has a bill, HB388, that would raise the common driver’s license from $25 to $35, and raise other special licenses’ fees likewise.
But Monday, the House Rules committee held the bill – a rather unusual thing for Republicans to do to a party colleague’s legislation.
As reported by UtahPolicy previously, the bill would be a 40 percent fee hike on the Class D license – the one most adult Utahns carry.
The increase would raise around $10 million annually.
Hutchings told UtahPolicy that the driver’s license fee has not been raised in some time.
And that the Driver’s License Division’s costs – for employees, programs and such – is now outrunning what the fees bring in, said Hutchings.
Utah state government has a general policy that special program fees should pay for the cost of administrating their programs.
“That’s a pretty big jump” in fees, said Rules Committee member Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper.
There are only eight days left in the 2017 Legislature. And while GOP lawmakers can move quickly to pass bills if they desire, for now Hutchings’ driver’s license fee hike is not moving forward.
