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Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H0515 Detail]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
2An act relating to driver's licenses; creating the "Mature
3Drivers Act"; amending s. 322.05, F.S.; revising age
4requirements for issuance of driver's licenses; amending
5ss. 322.126 and 322.161, F.S., relating to reporting of
6licensed driver's or applicant's mental or physical
7disability to drive or need to obtain or wear a medical
8identification bracelet and restriction of the driving
9privilege of a person who has accumulated six or more
10points within a 12-month period; conforming provisions to
11changes made by the act; amending s. 322.1615, F.S.;
12revising age requirements for issuance of learner's
13driver's licenses; providing an effective date.
14
15Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17     Section 1.  This act may be cited as the "Mature Drivers
18Act."
19     Section 2.  Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of section
20322.05, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
21     322.05  Persons not to be licensed.-The department may not
22issue a license:
23     (1)  To a person who has not attained 17 years of age is
24under the age of 16 years, except that the department may issue
25a learner's driver's license to a person who is at least 16 15
26years of age and who meets the requirements of ss. 322.091 and
27322.1615 and of any other applicable law or rule.
28     (2)  To a person who is at least 17 16 years of age but who
29has not attained is under 18 years of age unless the person
30meets the requirements of s. 322.091 and holds a valid:
31     (a)  Learner's driver's license for at least 12 months,
32with no moving traffic convictions, before applying for a
33license;
34     (b)  Learner's driver's license for at least 12 months and
35who has a moving traffic conviction but elects to attend a
36traffic driving school for which adjudication must be withheld
37pursuant to s. 318.14; or
38     (c)  License that was issued in another state or in a
39foreign jurisdiction and that would not be subject to suspension
40or revocation under the laws of this state.
41     (3)  To a person who is at least 17 16 years of age but who
42has not attained is under 18 years of age, unless the parent,
43guardian, or other responsible adult meeting the requirements of
44s. 322.09 certifies that he or she, or another licensed driver
4521 years of age or older, has accompanied the applicant for a
46total of not less than 50 hours of hours' behind-the-wheel
47experience, of which not less than 10 hours must be at night.
48This subsection is not intended to create a private cause of
49action as a result of the certification. The certification is
50inadmissible for any purpose in any civil proceeding.
51     Section 3.  Subsection (2) of section 322.126, Florida
52Statutes, is amended to read:
53     322.126  Report of disability to department; content; use.-
54     (2)  Any physician, person, or agency having knowledge of
55any licensed driver's or applicant's mental or physical
56disability to drive or need to obtain or to wear a medical
57identification bracelet is authorized to report such knowledge
58to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The
59report should be made in writing giving the full name, date of
60birth, address, and a description of the alleged disability of
61any person who is 16 over 15 years of age or older having mental
62or physical disorders that could affect his or her driving
63ability.
64     Section 4.  Subsection (1) of section 322.161, Florida
65Statutes, is amended to read:
66     322.161  High-risk drivers; restricted licenses.-
67     (1)(a)  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the
68contrary, the department shall restrict the driving privilege of
69any Class E licensee who has not attained 18 years of age is age
7015 through 17 and who has accumulated six or more points
71pursuant to s. 318.14, excluding parking violations, within a
7212-month period.
73     (b)  Upon determination that any person has accumulated six
74or more points, the department shall notify the licensee and
75issue the licensee a restricted license for business purposes
76only. The licensee must appear before the department within 10
77days after notification to have this restriction applied. The
78period of restriction shall be for a period of no less than 1
79year beginning on the date it is applied by the department.
80     (c)  The restriction shall be automatically withdrawn by
81the department after 1 year if the licensee does not accumulate
82any additional points. If the licensee accumulates any
83additional points, then the period of restriction shall be
84extended 90 days for each point. The restriction shall also be
85automatically withdrawn upon the licensee's 18th birthday if no
86other grounds for restriction exist. The licensee must appear
87before the department to have the restriction removed and a
88duplicate license issued.
89     Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 322.1615, Florida
90Statutes, is amended to read:
91     322.1615  Learner's driver's license.-
92     (1)  The department may issue a learner's driver's license
93to a person who is at least 16 15 years of age and who:
94     (a)  Has passed the written examination for a learner's
95driver's license;
96     (b)  Has passed the vision and hearing examination
97administered under s. 322.12;
98     (c)  Has completed the traffic law and substance abuse
99education course prescribed in s. 322.095; and
100     (d)  Meets all other requirements set forth in law and by
101rule of the department.
102     Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.


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