S.B. 306 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS - DRIVER'S LICENSE: ADDRESS CHANGE

DRIVER'S LICENSE: ADDRESS CHANGE - S.B. 306 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 306 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor: Senator Mike Rogers

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to revise the procedure for changing an address on a driver's license; provide for electronic notice of a change of address or notice by mail or telephone, or by submission of a voter registration application, as prescribed by the Secretary of State; establish penalties for changing the address of another person without his or her permission; and require the Secretary of State to change a person's address on the qualified voter file if his or her residence address on that file differed from the person's residence address on his or her driver's license. The bill would take effect October 1, 1999.

Currently, if a person moves before his or her driver's license expires, the person must return the license to the local examining board or the Department of State, which is required to write the new address on the back of the license. The bill provides, instead, that the person immediately would have to notify the Secretary of State of his or her new residence address. The notice would have to be in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of State and could include notification by personal appearance at a branch office or other location designated by the Secretary of State, or a notification electronically or by mail, telephone, submission of a voter registration application, or any other means prescribed by the Secretary of State.

The bill would prohibit a person from reporting a change of address for himself or herself that was not his or her residence address, or reporting a change of address for another person without his or her consent. A violation would be a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 93 days and/or a maximum fine of $100, plus a six-month license suspension. A second or subsequent conviction would be a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to one year and/or a maximum fine of $1,000, plus license revocation.

MCL 257.307 et al. - Legislative Analyst: G. Towne

FISCAL IMPACT

Currently, there are no data to indicate how many people would fall under the provisions in this bill. An applicant for license reinstatement must pay a $125 reinstatement fee to regain his or her license. An applicant under the bill also would need to pay this fee. In addition, the Department of State could incur some increases in administrative costs due to the additional requirements imposed on the Department.

The new crime proposed by the bill could result in increased jail commitments. Jail incarceration costs vary by county. There are no data currently available that might indicate the potential number of annual violators.

Date Completed: 3-22-99 - Fiscal Analyst: E. Limbs

- K. FirestoneFloor\sb306 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.