Bill Text: PA HB289 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Further providing for junior driver's license, for learners' permits, for suspension of operating privilege and for restraint systems.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 16-9)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-06 - Referred to TRANSPORTATION [HB289 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB289-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  309

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

289

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY WATSON, GEIST, SABATINA, KILLION, BOYD, BEAR, BRENNAN, CRUZ, DePASQUALE, FRANKEL, GINGRICH, HENNESSEY, KAUFFMAN, KORTZ, MAJOR, MANN, O'NEILL, PICKETT, REICHLEY, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, STURLA, SWANGER AND VULAKOVICH, FEBRUARY 6, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 6, 2009  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes, further providing for junior driver's license, for

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learners' permits, for suspension of operating privilege and

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for restraint systems.

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RESOLVED, That the part of this act that limits the number of

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passengers a junior driver may transport in a motor vehicle at

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one time may be referred to as Lacey's Law in honor of Lacey

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Gallagher.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Sections 1503(c), 1505(e), 1538(e) and 4581(a)

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and (b) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

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are amended to read:

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§ 1503.  Persons ineligible for licensing; license issuance to

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minors; junior driver's license.

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* * *

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(c)  Junior driver's license.--The department may issue a

 


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junior driver's license to a person 16 or 17 years of age under

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rules and regulations adopted by the department and subject to

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the provisions of this section. A junior driver's license shall

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automatically become a regular driver's license when the junior

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driver attains 18 years of age.

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(1)  Except as provided in paragraph (2), no licensed

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junior driver shall drive a vehicle upon a public highway

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between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a spouse 18

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years of age or older, a parent or a person in loco parentis.

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(2)  A licensed junior driver conforming to the

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requirements of section 1507 (relating to application for

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driver's license or learner's permit by minor) may drive a

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vehicle upon a public highway between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

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between the junior driver's home and activity or employment

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or in the course of the junior driver's activity or

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employment if the junior driver is a member of a volunteer

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fire company authorized by the fire chief to engage in

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fighting fires, is engaged in public or charitable service or

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is employed and is carrying an affidavit or certificate of

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authorization signed by the junior driver's fire chief,

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supervisor or employer indicating the probable schedule of

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the junior driver's activities. Upon termination of the

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junior driver's activity or employment, the junior driver

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shall surrender the affidavit or certificate to the fire

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chief, supervisor or employer. If the junior driver shall

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fail to surrender the affidavit or certificate, the employer,

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fire chief or supervisor shall immediately notify the

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Pennsylvania State Police.

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(2.1)  Except as set forth in paragraph (2.2), a junior

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driver may not drive a vehicle with more than one passenger

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under 18 years of age.

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(2.2)  With parental or in loco parentis approval, a

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junior driver may drive a vehicle with passengers who are

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siblings or relatives who live in the same dwelling as the

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junior driver.

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(3)  In addition to the other provisions of this title

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relating to the suspension or revocation of operating

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privileges, in the event that a licensed junior driver is

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involved in an accident reportable under section 3746(a) for

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which the junior driver is partially or fully responsible in

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the opinion of the department or is convicted of any

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violation of this title, the department may suspend the

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operating privileges of the junior driver until the junior

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driver attains 18 years of age or for a period of time not

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exceeding 90 days.

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(4)  Any junior driver or other person violating any

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provision of this subsection is guilty of a summary offense.

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§ 1505.  Learners' permits.

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* * *

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(e)  Authorization to test for driver's license and junior

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driver's license.--A person with a learner's permit is

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authorized to take the examination for a regular or junior

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driver's license for the class of vehicle for which a permit is

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held. Before a person under the age of 18 years may take the

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examination for a junior driver's license, the minor must:

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(1)  Have held a learner's permit for that class of

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vehicle for a period of six months.

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(2)  Present to the department a certification form

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signed by the father, mother, guardian, person in loco

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parentis or spouse of a married minor stating that the minor

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applicant has completed [50] 65 hours of practical driving

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experience, including no less than ten hours of nighttime

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driving and five hours of inclement weather driving, 

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accompanied as required under subsection (b). Submission of a

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certification shall not subject the parent, guardian, person

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in loco parentis or spouse of a married minor to any

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liability based upon the certification.

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(3)  Have the certification form completed when the minor

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is ready for the licensing examination. The certification

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form shall be developed by the department and will be

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provided by the department when the original application for

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a learner's permit is processed. The department will make

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this form readily available through the mail or electronic

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means.

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* * *

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§ 1538.  School, examination or hearing on accumulation of

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points or excessive speeding.

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* * *

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(e)  Additional suspension of operating privilege.--

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(1)  In addition to any other provisions of law relating

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to the suspension or revocation of operating privileges, a

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person's operating privileges shall be suspended under any of

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the following circumstances:

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(i)  Prior to reaching age 18, the person violates

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section 3362 (relating to maximum speed limits) by

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traveling 26 miles per hour or more over the posted speed

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limit and the violation results in a conviction, guilty

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plea or plea of no contest before or after the person

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reaches age 18.

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(ii)  The person accumulates six or more points under

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the provisions of section 1535 (relating to schedule of

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convictions and points) and the violations resulting in

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points accumulation were committed before the person

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reached age 18.

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(2)  The first suspension under paragraph (1) shall be

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for a period of 90 days with every subsequent suspension

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under paragraph (1) to be for a period of 120 days.

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Suspensions under paragraph (1) shall be imposed

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consecutively to each other and to any other suspension. A

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suspension under paragraph (1) shall be considered a

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subsequent suspension even if it is imposed contemporaneously

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with a first suspension imposed under paragraph (1). A

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suspension under this paragraph shall be in lieu of a

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suspension under subsection (d)(1).

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§ 4581.  Restraint systems.

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(a)  Occupant protection.--

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(1)  Any person who is operating a passenger car, Class I

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truck, Class II truck, classic motor vehicle, antique motor

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vehicle or motor home and who transports a child under four

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years of age anywhere in the motor vehicle, including the

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cargo area, shall fasten such child securely in a child

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passenger restraint system, as defined in subsection (d).

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This subsection shall apply to all persons while they are

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operators of motor vehicles where a seating position is

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available which is equipped with a seat safety belt or other

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means to secure the systems or where the seating position was

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originally equipped with seat safety belts.

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(1.1)  Any person who is operating a passenger car, Class

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I truck, Class II truck, classic motor vehicle, antique motor

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vehicle or motor home and who transports a child four years

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of age or older but under eight years of age anywhere in the

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motor vehicle, including the cargo area, shall fasten such

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child securely in a fastened safety seat belt system and in

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an appropriately fitting child booster seat, as defined in

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subsection (d). This paragraph shall apply to all persons

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while they are operators of motor vehicles where a seating

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position is available which is equipped with a seat safety

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belt or other means to secure the systems or where the

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seating position was originally equipped with seat safety

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belts. [A conviction under this paragraph by State or local

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law enforcement agencies shall occur only as a secondary

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action when a driver of a motor vehicle has been convicted of

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violating any other provision of this title.]

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(2) (i)  Except for children under [eight] 18 years of

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age and except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (1.1),

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each driver and front seat occupant of a passenger car,

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Class I truck, Class II truck or motor home operated in

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this Commonwealth shall wear a properly adjusted and

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fastened safety seat belt system. [A conviction under

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this paragraph by State or local law enforcement agencies

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shall occur only as a secondary action when a driver of a

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motor vehicle has been convicted of any other provision

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of this title.]

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(ii)  The driver of a passenger automobile who is

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under 18 years of age shall secure [or cause] himself and

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cause any occupant who is eight years of age or older and

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under 18 years of age to be secured in a properly

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adjusted and fastened safety seat belt system [any

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occupant who is eight years of age or older and less than

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18 years of age].

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(iii)  This paragraph shall not apply to:

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[(i)] (A)  A driver or front seat occupant of any

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vehicle manufactured before July 1, 1966.

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[(ii)] (B)  A driver or front seat occupant who

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possesses a written verification from a physician

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that he is unable to wear a safety seat belt system

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for physical or medical reasons, or from a

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psychiatrist or other specialist qualified to make an

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informed judgment that he is unable to wear a safety

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seat belt system for psychological reasons.

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[(iii)] (C)  A rural letter carrier while

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operating any motor vehicle during the performance of

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his duties as a United States postal service rural

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letter carrier only between the first and last

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delivery points.

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[(iv)] (D)  A driver who makes frequent stops and

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is traveling less than 15 miles per hour for the

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purpose of delivering goods or services while in the

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performance of his duties and only between the first

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and last delivery points.

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(iv)  A violation of this paragraph shall not be

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subject to the assessment of any points under section

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1535 (relating to schedule of convictions and points).

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(3)  A driver who is under 18 years of age may not

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operate a motor vehicle in which the number of passengers

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exceeds the number of available safety seat belts in the

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vehicle.

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(b)  Offense.--Anyone who fails to comply with the provisions

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of subsection (a)(1) or (1.1) shall be guilty of a summary

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offense with a maximum fine of $100. The court imposing and

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collecting any such fines shall transfer the fines thus

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collected to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Child

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Passenger Restraint Fund, pursuant to section 4582 (relating to

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Child Passenger Restraint Fund). Anyone who violates subsection

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(a)(2) or (3) commits a summary offense and shall, upon

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conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $10. No person shall

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be convicted of a violation of subsection [(a)(2)] (a)(2) or (3) 

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unless the person is also convicted of another violation of this

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title which occurred at the same time. No costs as described in

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42 Pa.C.S. § 1725.1 (relating to costs) shall be imposed for

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summary conviction of subsection (a)(2) or (3). Conviction under

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this subsection shall not constitute a moving violation.

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* * *

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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