Bill Text: HI HB1693 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 1693 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To Driver's Licenses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 27-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-26 - Referred to JHA, referral sheet 2 [HB1693 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-HB1693-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1693
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING to DRIVER'S LICENSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 286-106, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§286-106 Expiration of licenses. Every driver's license issued under this part, except for a provisional license issued under section 286-102.6 [~~which~~] that shall expire on the date of the provisional licensee's nineteenth birthday, whether an original issuance or a renewal, shall expire on the first birthday of the licensee occurring not less than eight years after the date of the issuance of the license, unless sooner revoked or suspended; provided that:

(1) The license shall expire on the first birthday of the licensee occurring not less than four years after the date of the issuance if, at the time, the licensee is [~~twenty-four~~]

(A) Twenty-four years of age or younger; or

(B) Seventy years of age or older but younger than eighty years of age;

(2) The license shall expire on the first birthday of the licensee occurring not less than two years after the date of the issuance of the license if, at that time, the licensee is [~~seventy-two~~] eighty years of age or older; and

(3) If the licensee is a legal immigrant, the license shall expire no later than the licensee's authorized period of stay in the United States.

The examiner of drivers may issue a license for a shorter period if the licensee has a physical condition or conditions that the examiner of drivers reasonably believes may impair the driver's ability to drive."

SECTION 2. Section 286-107, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:

"(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), an applicant for a renewal of a driver's license under this section, or the reactivation of an expired license under section 286-107.5(a), shall appear in person before the examiner of drivers and the examiner of drivers shall administer such physical examinations as the state director of transportation deems necessary to determine the applicant's fitness to continue to operate a motor vehicle[.]; provided that an applicant who is seventy years of age or older shall also present certification of physical and mental competence from a doctor.

(c) Any person younger than seventy years of age who holds a category (1), (2), or (3) license issued under this part who is unable to appear in person before the examiner of drivers to apply for a renewal of the driver's license[,] may, if the person is not disqualified from renewing the license under subsection (a) except as provided under subsection (h), apply for a renewal by mail. The applicant's request to have the license renewed by mail must be received by the examiner of drivers within ninety days after the expiration of the license or it shall be treated as an application for reactivation of an expired license under section 286-107.5. The examiner of drivers [~~shall~~], upon receipt of the request, shall furnish the applicant with all necessary forms and instructions. An application for renewal made pursuant to this subsection shall be accompanied by a statement from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse certifying that the applicant was examined by the licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse not more than six months prior to the expiration date of the applicant's license and that the applicant was found by the examination to have met the physical requirements established by the state director of transportation for the renewal of licenses. The application for renewal shall also be accompanied by:

(1) A notarized statement of the applicant certifying that the applicant does not possess any valid license to operate the same or similar category or categories of motor vehicles, issued by another licensing authority (unless the license is concurrently surrendered); and

(2) [~~Such~~] Any other information as may be required by the examiner of drivers that is reasonably necessary to confirm the identity of the applicant and the applicant's fitness to continue to operate a motor vehicle."

SECTION 3. Section 286-108, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§286-108 Examination of applicants. (a) Except as provided in section 286-107.5(a), the examiner of drivers shall examine every applicant for a driver's license, except as otherwise provided in this part. The examination shall include a test of:

(1) The applicant's eyesight and any further physical examination that the examiner of drivers finds necessary to determine the applicant's fitness to operate a motor vehicle safely upon the highways;

(2) The applicant's ability to understand highway signs regulating, warning, and directing traffic;

(3) The applicant's knowledge of the rules of the road based on the traffic laws of the State and the traffic ordinances of the county where the applicant resides or intends to operate a motor vehicle; provided that the examination shall specifically test the applicant's knowledge of the provisions of section 291C-121.5 and section 291C-137; and

(4) The actual demonstration of ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in the operation of a motor vehicle.

The examinations shall be appropriate to the operation of the category of motor vehicle for which the applicant seeks to be licensed and shall be conducted as required by the director.

The examiner of drivers shall require every applicant to comply with section 286-102.5.

The examiner of drivers may waive the actual demonstration of ability to operate a motorcycle or motor scooter for any person who furnishes evidence, to the satisfaction of the examiner of drivers, that the person has completed the motorcycle education course approved by the director in accordance with section 431:10G-104.

For the purposes of this section, the term "applicant" does not include any person reactivating a license under section 286‑107.5(a).

(b) The examiner of drivers shall require proof from every applicant under the age of eighteen that the applicant has completed a driver education program and a behind-the-wheel driver training course certified by the director of transportation. The examiner of drivers shall not examine any applicant for a provisional license who is sixteen through seventeen years of age unless the applicant holds and has held a valid instruction permit under section 286-110, for a period of no fewer than one hundred eighty days. If the applicant's instruction permit has expired and a new instruction permit was issued within thirty days of its expiration, the examiner of drivers may examine the applicant without requiring an additional one hundred eighty day period.

(c) The examiner of drivers may waive the written or oral examination required under subsection (a)(2) and (3) and the actual demonstration of ability to operate a motor vehicle for any person who:

(1) Is at least eighteen years of age and who possesses a valid driver's license issued to the applicant in any other state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, a province of the Dominion of Canada, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for the operation of vehicles in categories 1 through 3 of section 286-102;

(2) Has completed the same requirements as set forth in section 286‑102.6(f) in another state and possesses a valid provisional license from that state; or

(3) Is at least eighteen years of age and who possesses a valid driver's license issued to the applicant in any jurisdiction for which the director has granted reciprocal licensing privileges in accordance with section 286-101.5 for the operation of vehicles in category (3) of section 286-102(b).

(d) As part of the examination required by this section, the applicant for a driver's license shall produce and display a valid motor vehicle or liability insurance identification card for the motor vehicle required by sections 431:10C-107 and 431:10G-106, when the applicant demonstrates the ability to operate a motor vehicle to the satisfaction of the examiner of drivers. If no valid motor vehicle or liability insurance identification card is displayed, the examiner of drivers shall not issue a driver's license to the applicant.

(e) The examiner of drivers shall require every applicant who is seventy years of age or older to present certification of physical and mental competence from a doctor."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Driver's Licenses; Expiration and Renewal; Kupuna; Certification of Physical and Mental Competence

Description:

Extends the renewal period from 2 years to 4 years for licensees who are 70 years of age or older but younger than 80 years of age. Requires applicants for a new license or for license renewal who are 70 years of age or older to present certification of physical and mental competence from a doctor upon application.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.