According to Salt Lake City officials, this past Friday a bill has been advanced out of a Senate committee that may affect drivers’ licenses’. If passed through the legislature, the bill would allow some citizens who are prohibited from driving because of convictions for driving under the influence to receive “restricted” licenses that would lawfully allow them to drive to work or school.

Senator Lyle HIllyard, R-Logan, claims to be responsible for the proposed bill, SB147. He says he knew of a constituent who as a young male struggled with substance abuse and had his license revoked several times. He had since cleaned up and had been clean for at least five years. Unfortunately, this young man has been forced to rely on his co-workers to get to work in order to abide by the conditions of revocation of his license.

While it would be years before the offender could have a regular driver’s license again, Hillyard told the Senate Transportation and Public Utilities and Technology Committee Friday that he wanted to help people like that young man have an ability to drive to work and school by changing the law to allow them to have restricted licenses.

Officially, the Senate Bill 147 states drivers whom have had their licenses revoked, denied, suspended or disqualified for at least three years beyond the first conviction of DUI, they can receive limited driving privileges if they submit a letter from their physician stating that they’ve been clean in the past three years. They cannot violate any motor vehicle law or get in an accident while driving. If they violate any motor vehicle law or get in an accident, they wouldn’t be able to get the limited license again.

Public opinion of this senate bill is very widespread. Some have strong opinions against reckless drivers and believe they should not be able to drive for many years. Others believe it is right to give worthy individuals a second chance, especially for important activities like school and work.