COMM. LEARNER'S PERMIT/DRIVER LICENSE S.B. 42:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 42 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Tom Casperson
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Modify the required vehicle group designations for operating certain commercial vehicles.
-- Allow the Secretary of State (SOS) to issue a commercial learner's permit that entitled a person to drive a vehicle requiring a vehicle group designation or indorsement if the person had the permit and a valid operator's or chauffeur's license in his or her possession, were accompanied by a supervising certified instructor or licensed driver, and were not operating a vehicle with hazardous materials or a bus designed to carry more than 16 passengers, except under certain situations.
-- Allow a person issued a commercial learner's permit by this or another jurisdiction to operate a vehicle if certain requirements were met.
-- Require the SOS to place certain restriction codes on a commercial learner's permit or commercial driver license to prohibit the operation of a commercial vehicle under certain circumstances.
-- Authorize the SOS to verify the identity, residency, and citizenship of an applicant for a learner's permit, or operator's or chauffeur's license, to operate a commercial motor vehicle.
-- Require an FBI and State criminal history check for vehicle group designation or indorsement examiners.
-- Prohibit a person from fraudulently obtaining a license or permit, or failing to respond to a notice for retesting.
-- Include any offense committed by a motor vehicle operator among the convictions and civil infraction determinations that a court may not take under advisement.
-- Authorize the SOS to restrict, suspend, or revoke a driver license solely on the licensee's driving record within 24 months after a probationary period.
-- Limit the accidents that trigger an extension of a six-month provisionary period for a person granted level 1 or level 2 graduated license status to those that result in a moving violation.
-- Eliminate a provision that prohibits the SOS from issuing a potentially offensive personalized registration plate.
The bill would take effect on July 8, 2015.
MCL 257.7a et al. Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the Department of State.
The bill would add new prohibitions against fraudulent license and permit testing, failing to reschedule a license or permit retest appointment after notification, and fraudulently obtaining a commercial driver license. The bill also would add penalties for the additional prohibitions that would involve a restriction on reapplication. There could be an increase in the cost to State government required to track and verify violations associated with the additional prohibitions and added resources required to verify that currently excluded individuals were not reapplying while the exclusionary period on reapplication was in effect for that license or permit.
The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.
Date Completed: 2-10-15 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
John Maxwell
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.