Bill Text: FL H0515 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Driver's Licenses

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H0515 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-H0515-Introduced.html

---

HB 515

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to driver's licenses; creating the "Mature
3	Drivers Act"; amending s. 322.05, F.S.; revising age
4	requirements for issuance of driver's licenses; amending
5	ss. 322.126 and 322.161, F.S., relating to reporting of
6	licensed driver's or applicant's mental or physical
7	disability to drive or need to obtain or wear a medical
8	identification bracelet and restriction of the driving
9	privilege of a person who has accumulated six or more
10	points within a 12-month period; conforming provisions to
11	changes made by the act; amending s. 322.1615, F.S.;
12	revising age requirements for issuance of learner's
13	driver's licenses; providing an effective date.
14
15	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17	Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Mature Drivers
18	Act."
19	Section 2.  Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section
20	322.05, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
21	322.05  Persons not to be licensed.-The department may not
22	issue a license:
23	(1)  To a person who has not attained 17 years of age is
24	under the age of 16 years, except that the department may issue
25	a learner's driver's license to a person who is at least 16 15
26	years of age and who meets the requirements of ss. 322.091 and
27	322.1615 and of any other applicable law or rule.
28	(2)  To a person who is at least 17 16 years of age but who
29	has not attained is under 18 years of age unless the person
30	meets the requirements of s. 322.091 and holds a valid:
31	(a)  Learner's driver's license for at least 12 months,
32	with no moving traffic convictions, before applying for a
33	license;
34	(b)  Learner's driver's license for at least 12 months and
35	who has a moving traffic conviction but elects to attend a
36	traffic driving school for which adjudication must be withheld
37	pursuant to s. 318.14; or
38	(c)  License that was issued in another state or in a
39	foreign jurisdiction and that would not be subject to suspension
40	or revocation under the laws of this state.
41	(3)  To a person who is at least 17 16 years of age but who
42	has not attained is under 18 years of age, unless the parent,
43	guardian, or other responsible adult meeting the requirements of
44	s. 322.09 certifies that he or she, or another licensed driver
45	21 years of age or older, has accompanied the applicant for a
46	total of not less than 50 hours of hours' behind-the-wheel
47	experience, of which not less than 10 hours must be at night.
48	This subsection is not intended to create a private cause of
49	action as a result of the certification. The certification is
50	inadmissible for any purpose in any civil proceeding.
51	Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 322.126, Florida
52	Statutes, is amended to read:
53	322.126  Report of disability to department; content; use.-
54	(2)  Any physician, person, or agency having knowledge of
55	any licensed driver's or applicant's mental or physical
56	disability to drive or need to obtain or to wear a medical
57	identification bracelet is authorized to report such knowledge
58	to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The
59	report should be made in writing giving the full name, date of
60	birth, address, and a description of the alleged disability of
61	any person who is 16 over 15 years of age or older having mental
62	or physical disorders that could affect his or her driving
63	ability.
64	Section 4.  Subsection (1) of section 322.161, Florida
65	Statutes, is amended to read:
66	322.161  High-risk drivers; restricted licenses.-
67	(1)(a)  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
68	contrary, the department shall restrict the driving privilege of
69	any Class E licensee who has not attained 18 years of age is age
70	15 through 17 and who has accumulated six or more points
71	pursuant to s. 318.14, excluding parking violations, within a
72	12-month period.
73	(b)  Upon determination that any person has accumulated six
74	or more points, the department shall notify the licensee and
75	issue the licensee a restricted license for business purposes
76	only. The licensee must appear before the department within 10
77	days after notification to have this restriction applied. The
78	period of restriction shall be for a period of no less than 1
79	year beginning on the date it is applied by the department.
80	(c)  The restriction shall be automatically withdrawn by
81	the department after 1 year if the licensee does not accumulate
82	any additional points. If the licensee accumulates any
83	additional points, then the period of restriction shall be
84	extended 90 days for each point. The restriction shall also be
85	automatically withdrawn upon the licensee's 18th birthday if no
86	other grounds for restriction exist. The licensee must appear
87	before the department to have the restriction removed and a
88	duplicate license issued.
89	Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 322.1615, Florida
90	Statutes, is amended to read:
91	322.1615  Learner's driver's license.-
92	(1)  The department may issue a learner's driver's license
93	to a person who is at least 16 15 years of age and who:
94	(a)  Has passed the written examination for a learner's
95	driver's license;
96	(b)  Has passed the vision and hearing examination
97	administered under s. 322.12;
98	(c)  Has completed the traffic law and substance abuse
99	education course prescribed in s. 322.095; and
100	(d)  Meets all other requirements set forth in law and by
101	rule of the department.
102	Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.