A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 22.1-205.1, 24.2-411.3, 24.2-643, 46.2-100, 46.2-332, 46.2-333.1, 46.2-335, 46.2-345.3, and 58.1-3 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 46.2-328.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to driver privilege cards and permits; discontinued.
HB993 would eliminate Virginia’s driver privilege card and permit program by repealing § 46.2-328.3 and making conforming changes throughout the Code. The bill would remove references to driver privilege cards from DMV, voter-registration, and school parking provisions, and it would direct DMV to notify holders that any existing driver privilege cards are invalid. It also revises the definition of “driver’s license” and related DMV procedures to exclude driver privilege cards and identification privilege cards from certain processes.
The bill also makes related changes to voter identification and DMV registration procedures. It would continue to require DMV customers seeking standard driver’s licenses or address changes to be asked about U.S. citizenship and the option to decline voter-registration transmission, while expressly excluding driver privilege card and identification privilege card transactions from that automatic voter-registration workflow. In polling places, it would bar the use of driver privilege cards and identification privilege cards as acceptable voter ID, while preserving other forms of identification and the existing provisional-ballot and affidavit procedures.
In addition, HB993 updates several DMV fee and permit statutes to conform to the repeal. It revises fee provisions for driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and identification privilege cards, and it preserves the separate identification privilege card program in § 46.2-345.3 while clarifying its relationship to other credentials. The bill also amends tax confidentiality provisions to allow the Tax Commissioner to share certain tax information with DMV for verifying whether applicants for driver privilege cards or identification privilege cards reported Virginia-source income or were claimed as dependents.
The overall sentiment reflected in the available record is limited, because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes. Procedurally, the bill was referred to the House Transportation Committee and ultimately left in committee, which suggests it did not advance and may have faced at least some lack of support or priority. Because no floor debate or vote history is provided, the record does not show explicit public support or opposition, but the committee outcome indicates the proposal was not adopted.
The main point of contention appears to be the elimination of driver privilege cards and permits, which are typically used by residents who are not eligible for standard driver’s licenses. The bill also touches on election administration and voter ID rules by excluding these credentials from voter-registration and voting procedures, which could raise concerns about access, identification, and election integrity. Other affected parties include DMV customers, school districts, election officials, and holders of existing driver privilege cards.
HB993 would repeal § 46.2-328.3 and invalidate any driver privilege cards already issued under that section, while making conforming amendments to DMV, election, school parking, fee, and tax-confidentiality statutes. It would narrow the set of DMV transactions that trigger voter-registration transmission, remove driver privilege cards from acceptable voter identification, and adjust related administrative procedures for licensing, permits, and identification privilege cards.
No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no direct evidence of debate sentiment. The bill’s referral to Transportation and subsequent being left in committee suggests the measure did not gain enough traction to advance. Overall, the available history indicates a neutral-to-unfavorable legislative outcome for the bill rather than clear bipartisan support.
The central controversy is the repeal of the driver privilege card and permit program, which would affect residents who rely on those credentials for driving and identification purposes. A second area of contention is the bill’s election-related provisions, especially the exclusion of driver privilege cards and identification privilege cards from voter ID and automatic voter-registration processes. Supporters would likely frame the bill as a cleanup and election-administration measure, while opponents would likely view it as restricting access for noncitizen or otherwise ineligible residents who use privilege cards for lawful driving and identification.