Senate President Michael Waddoups says he was surprised that police in Utah currently cannot impound the cars of people caught driving with suspended or revoked licenses. That could change.

The Senate Transportation and Public Utilities Committee voted unanimously Thursday to pass SB50 by Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, to allow such impounds. It now goes to the full Senate.

"These people just kind of take their ticket and leave, and say, 'Ha, ha, you can't do much to us.' It doesn't put much teeth into our license suspension," Art Brown, president of Utah Mothers Against Drunk Driving, testified to the committee.

Brown said while people could still get their cars back the next day, impound fees are expensive and violators "get the immediate message and fine that this behavior is not acceptable."

Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Barton Blair said the bill "is a need, not a want. ... A citation only goes so far."

Lee Davidson