From driver’s licenses to nonresident off-road permits: New laws that took effect New Year’s Day

ST. GEORGE — A handful of new laws took effect in Utah with the dawn of the new year.

Members of the Utah House work on the floor during a special session at the state Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 18, 2018. | Associated Press file photo by Rick Bowmer, St. George News

Among the laws passed by the state lawmakers last year that became law Wednesday are ones related to out-of-state off-road vehicles, the length of driver license renewals, and holding two public offices at the same time.

Driver’s license renewal and fee hike

HB294 moves the renewal date of a driver’s license and state-issued identification cards from five years to eight years. Licenses and I.D. cards issued or renewed from January onward won’t have to be renewed until 2028.

The new law also increases application and renewal fees, making the $32 fee rise to $52. Renewal fees for drivers 65 and older also go from $17 to $27, while motorcycle application and renewal fees jump from $11 to $17.

The cost of state-issued identification cards is unchanged at $23.

Teenager shows his driver’s license. Photo by AlexRaths/iStock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Fees from driver licenses are applied to the state’s Driver’s License Division and state and local law enforcement.

Out-of-state permits for off-road vehicles

Utah will no longer accept out-of-state registrations for off-road vehicles. Instead, visitors will need to buy a nonresident permit to be able to ride in Utah.

Under HB 105, a nonresident permit is $30 and is good for 12 months. The permits can be bought online or at a state-approved vendor. In southwest Utah, this includes several Maverik gas stations between Cedar City and St. George and across the state as a whole.

More information on the permit and approved vendors can be found on the Utah State Parks website.

Holding two public offices at the same time 

SB 50 was a response to a public official in Iron County who was elected to the County Commission yet retained his position on the Cedar City Council for the remainder of his term there.

Paul Cozzens, shown in this file photo speaking during the Iron County GOP Convention, defeated three other candidates Tuesday in the primary election for County Commission Seat B, Cedar City, Utah, April 14, 2018 | File photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Under the new law, an individual will not be able to hold county and municipal office at the same time. This law was drafted by Iron County Republican Sen. Evan Vickers in response to Cedar City Councilmember Paul Cozzens who chose not to resign from that body after being elected to the Iron County Commission in 2018.

Urban farming

SB 246 lowers the minimum acreage required for an urban farm from 2 acres to 1 acre.

Reselling tickets

SB 69 makes it easier for someone to resell event tickets, such as those tied to concerts, theater productions and sporting events. It will allow ticket holders to lawfully resell their tickets with some exemptions.

Stock image by PattiLabelle/iSTock/Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Non-extraditable warrants

Under HB 278, the Utah Bureau of Criminal Investigation is required to send a record for all non-extraditable warrants for violent felonies to the National Crime Information Center within 28 hours of receipt.

Non-extraditable warrants issued for someone who fails to register for certain sexual offenses must also be submitted by the BCI.

The BCI is also required to send the record to local law enforcement agencies. Those agencies will determine the extractability status of the warrants.

The Utah Legislature passed 574 laws during the 2019 legislative session. An overall listing of those bills can be found here.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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