SSB 1019 – Strengthening Graduated Driver’s Licensing
SSB 1021 – Proof of Liability change from Treasurer to DOT
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SSB 1019 amends provisions relating to intermediate driver’s licenses under the graduated driver licensing program and to special minor’s licenses issued for travel to and from school.
Under the graduated driver licensing program, a person who is 16 or 17 years of age must possess an instruction permit for a minimum of six months to qualify for an intermediate license. During that period, the permittee must accumulate a total of 20 hours of street or highway driving while accompanied by an authorized adult. The bill increases the required period of possession of an instruction permit to 12 months so that teen drivers get supervised experience in all four seasons.
Under current law, an intermediate licensee may transport only as many passengers as there are seatbelts in the vehicle, but there is no passenger restriction specified for a driver with a special minor’s license. The bill imposes a new passenger restriction for licensees in both categories. Unless accompanied by an approved adult, a teen with an intermediate license or a special minor’s license may not operate a motor vehicle with more than one unrelated minor passenger in the vehicle. The restriction on unrelated minor passengers is lifted for an intermediate licensee after six months.
A violation of intermediate driver’s license restrictions or special minor’s license restrictions is a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine of $50. The bill takes effect January 1, 2014. [1/30: 8-5 (Behn, Breitbach, Feenstra, McCoy, Zumbach “no”)]
SSB 1021 – Under current law, a person who is required to file proof of financial responsibility to operate a motor vehicle may do so by filing $55,000 with the treasurer of state in the form of a certificate of deposit. This bill amends Code section 321A.25 to provide that the certificate of deposit is to be made payable to the Department of Transportation and filed directly with the department. The bill makes conforming amendments to the definition of “financial liability coverage” in Code section 321.1, the list of alternate methods of filing proof of financial responsibility contained in Code section 321A.18, and related provisions in Code sections 321A.27 and 321A.29. [1/30: short form]