S.B. 144

             1     

DRIVER LICENSE MODIFICATIONS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: John L. Valentine

             5     
House Sponsor: Richard A. Greenwood

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies the Uniform Driver License Act by amending provisions relating to
             10      driver license hearings.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    repeals provisions that authorize the Driver License Division to follow the
             14      emergency procedures of the Administrative Procedures Act to, immediately and
             15      without a hearing, deny, suspend, disqualify, or revoke the license of any person
             16      without receiving a record of the person's conviction of crime when the Driver
             17      License Division has been notified or has reason to believe the person has
             18      committed certain offenses;
             19          .    provides that if the Driver License Division finds that the license of a person should
             20      be denied, suspended, disqualified, or revoked, the Driver License Division shall
             21      immediately notify the licensee in a manner specified by the Driver License
             22      Division and afford the person an opportunity for a hearing in the county where the
             23      licensee resides; and
             24          .    makes conforming changes.
             25      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             26          None
             27      Other Special Clauses:


             28          None
             29      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             30      AMENDS:
             31           53-3-221 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 411
             32           53-3-1007 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 217
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 53-3-221 is amended to read:
             36           53-3-221. Offenses that may result in denial, suspension, disqualification, or
             37      revocation of license -- Additional grounds for suspension -- Point system for traffic
             38      violations -- Notice and hearing -- Reporting of traffic violation procedures.
             39          (1) By following the [emergency] procedures in Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative
             40      Procedures Act, the division may [immediately] deny, suspend, disqualify, or revoke the
             41      license of any person [without hearing and] without receiving a record of the person's
             42      conviction of crime when the division has been notified or has reason to believe the person:
             43          (a) has committed any offenses for which mandatory suspension or revocation of a
             44      license is required upon conviction under Section 53-3-220 ;
             45          (b) has, by reckless or unlawful driving of a motor vehicle, caused or contributed to an
             46      accident resulting in death or injury to any other person, or serious property damage;
             47          (c) is incompetent to drive a motor vehicle or is afflicted with mental or physical
             48      infirmities or disabilities rendering it unsafe for the person to drive a motor vehicle upon the
             49      highways;
             50          (d) has committed a serious violation of the motor vehicle laws of this state;
             51          (e) has knowingly committed a violation of Section 53-3-229 ; or
             52          (f) has been convicted of serious offenses against traffic laws governing the movement
             53      of motor vehicles with a frequency that indicates a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard
             54      for the safety of other persons on the highways.
             55          (2) (a) The division may suspend the license of a person under Subsection (1) when the
             56      person has failed to comply with the terms stated on a traffic citation issued in this state, except
             57      this Subsection (2) does not apply to highway weight limit violations or violations of law
             58      governing the transportation of hazardous materials.


             59          (b) This Subsection (2) applies to parking and standing violations only if a court has
             60      issued a warrant for the arrest of a person for failure to post bail, appear, or otherwise satisfy
             61      the terms of the citation.
             62          (c) (i) This Subsection (2) may not be exercised unless notice of the pending
             63      suspension of the driving privilege has been sent at least 10 days previously to the person at the
             64      address provided to the division.
             65          (ii) After clearance by the division, a report authorized by Section 53-3-104 may not
             66      contain any evidence of a suspension that occurred as a result of failure to comply with the
             67      terms stated on a traffic citation.
             68          (3) (a) The division may suspend the license of a person under Subsection (1) when the
             69      division has been notified by a court that the person has an outstanding unpaid fine, an
             70      outstanding incomplete restitution requirement, or an outstanding warrant levied by order of a
             71      court.
             72          (b) The suspension remains in effect until the division is notified by the court that the
             73      order has been satisfied.
             74          (c) After clearance by the division, a report authorized by Section 53-3-104 may not
             75      contain any evidence of the suspension.
             76          (4) (a) The division shall make rules establishing a point system as provided for in this
             77      Subsection (4).
             78          (b) (i) The division shall assign a number of points to each type of moving traffic
             79      violation as a measure of its seriousness.
             80          (ii) The points shall be based upon actual relationships between types of traffic
             81      violations and motor vehicle traffic accidents.
             82          (iii) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b)(iv), the division may not assess points
             83      against a person's driving record for a conviction of a traffic violation:
             84          (A) that occurred in another state; and
             85          (B) that was committed on or after July 1, 2011.
             86          (iv) The provisions of Subsection (4)(b)(iii) do not apply to:
             87          (A) a reckless or impaired driving violation or a speeding violation for exceeding the
             88      posted speed limit by 21 or more miles per hour; or
             89          (B) an offense committed in another state which, if committed within Utah, would


             90      result in the mandatory suspension or revocation of a license upon conviction under Section
             91      53-3-220 .
             92          (c) Every person convicted of a traffic violation shall have assessed against the person's
             93      driving record the number of points that the division has assigned to the type of violation of
             94      which the person has been convicted, except that the number of points assessed shall be
             95      decreased by 10% if on the abstract of the court record of the conviction the court has graded
             96      the severity of violation as minimum, and shall be increased by 10% if on the abstract the court
             97      has graded the severity of violation as maximum.
             98          (d) (i) A separate procedure for assessing points for speeding offenses shall be
             99      established by the division based upon the severity of the offense.
             100          (ii) The severity of a speeding violation shall be graded as:
             101          (A) "minimum" for exceeding the posted speed limit by up to 10 miles per hour;
             102          (B) "intermediate" for exceeding the posted speed limit by from 11 to 20 miles per
             103      hour; and
             104          (C) "maximum" for exceeding the posted speed limit by 21 or more miles per hour.
             105          (iii) Consideration shall be made for assessment of no points on minimum speeding
             106      violations, except for speeding violations in school zones.
             107          (e) (i) Points assessed against a person's driving record shall be deleted for violations
             108      occurring before a time limit set by the division.
             109          (ii) The time limit may not exceed three years.
             110          (iii) The division may also delete points to reward violation-free driving for periods of
             111      time set by the division.
             112          (f) (i) By publication in two newspapers having general circulation throughout the
             113      state, the division shall give notice of the number of points it has assigned to each type of
             114      traffic violation, the time limit set by the division for the deletion of points, and the point level
             115      at which the division will generally take action to deny or suspend under this section.
             116          (ii) The division may not change any of the information provided above regarding
             117      points without first giving new notice in the same manner.
             118          (5) (a) (i) [Upon denying or suspending] If the division finds that the license of a
             119      person should be denied, suspended, disqualified, or revoked under this section, the division
             120      shall immediately notify the licensee in a manner specified by the division and afford [him] the


             121      person an opportunity for a hearing in the county where the licensee resides.
             122          (ii) The hearing shall be documented, and the division or its authorized agent may
             123      administer oaths, may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of
             124      relevant books and papers, and may require a reexamination of the licensee.
             125          (iii) One or more members of the division may conduct the hearing, and any decision
             126      made after a hearing before any number of the members of the division is as valid as if made
             127      after a hearing before the full membership of the division.
             128          (iv) After the hearing the division shall either rescind [its order of denial or suspension,
             129      extend the denial or suspension of the license,] or affirm its decision to deny, suspend,
             130      disqualify, or revoke the license.
             131          (b) The denial [or], suspension, disqualification, or revocation of the license remains in
             132      effect pending qualifications determined by the division regarding a person:
             133          (i) whose license has been denied or suspended following reexamination;
             134          (ii) who is incompetent to drive a motor vehicle;
             135          (iii) who is afflicted with mental or physical infirmities that might make him dangerous
             136      on the highways; or
             137          (iv) who may not have the necessary knowledge or skill to drive a motor vehicle safely.
             138          (6) (a) Subject to Subsection (6)(d), the division shall suspend a person's license when
             139      the division receives notice from the Office of Recovery Services that the Office of Recovery
             140      Services has ordered the suspension of the person's license.
             141          (b) A suspension under Subsection (6)(a) shall remain in effect until the division
             142      receives notice from the Office of Recovery Services that the Office of Recovery Services has
             143      rescinded the order of suspension.
             144          (c) After an order of suspension is rescinded under Subsection (6)(b), a report
             145      authorized by Section 53-3-104 may not contain any evidence of the suspension.
             146          (d) (i) If the division suspends a person's license under this Subsection (6), the division
             147      shall, upon application, issue a temporary limited driver license to the person if that person
             148      needs a driver license for employment, education, or child visitation.
             149          (ii) The temporary limited driver license described in this section:
             150          (A) shall provide that the person may operate a motor vehicle only for the purpose of
             151      driving to or from the person's place of employment, education, or child visitation;


             152          (B) shall prohibit the person from driving a motor vehicle for any purpose other than a
             153      purpose described in Subsection (6)(d)(ii)(A); and
             154          (C) shall expire 90 days after the day on which the temporary limited driver license is
             155      issued.
             156          (iii) (A) During the period beginning on the day on which a temporary limited driver
             157      license is issued under this Subsection (6), and ending on the day that the temporary limited
             158      driver license expires, the suspension described in this Subsection (6) only applies if the person
             159      who is suspended operates a motor vehicle for a purpose other than employment, education, or
             160      child visitation.
             161          (B) Upon expiration of a temporary limited driver license described in this Subsection
             162      (6)(d):
             163          (I) a suspension described in Subsection (6)(a) shall be in full effect until the division
             164      receives notice, under Subsection (6)(b), that the order of suspension is rescinded; and
             165          (II) a person suspended under Subsection (6)(a) may not drive a motor vehicle for any
             166      reason.
             167          (iv) The division is not required to issue a limited driver license to a person under this
             168      Subsection (6)(d) if there are other legal grounds for the suspension of the person's driver
             169      license.
             170          (v) The division shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             171      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to implement the provisions of this part.
             172          (7) (a) The division may suspend or revoke the license of any resident of this state
             173      upon receiving notice of the conviction of that person in another state of an offense committed
             174      there that, if committed in this state, would be grounds for the suspension or revocation of a
             175      license.
             176          (b) The division may, upon receiving a record of the conviction in this state of a
             177      nonresident driver of a motor vehicle or motorboat of any offense under the motor vehicle laws
             178      of this state, forward a certified copy of the record to the motor vehicle administrator in the
             179      state where the person convicted is a resident.
             180          (8) (a) The division may suspend or revoke the license of any nonresident to drive a
             181      motor vehicle in this state for any cause for which the license of a resident driver may be
             182      suspended or revoked.


             183          (b) Any nonresident who drives a motor vehicle upon a highway when the person's
             184      license has been suspended or revoked by the division is guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
             185          (9) (a) The division may not deny or suspend the license of any person for a period of
             186      more than one year except:
             187          (i) for failure to comply with the terms of a traffic citation under Subsection (2);
             188          (ii) upon receipt of a second or subsequent order suspending juvenile driving privileges
             189      under Section 53-3-219 ;
             190          (iii) when extending a denial or suspension upon receiving certain records or reports
             191      under Subsection 53-3-220 (2);
             192          (iv) for failure to give and maintain owner's or operator's security under Section
             193      41-12a-411 ;
             194          (v) when the division suspends the license under Subsection (6); or
             195          (vi) when the division denies the license under Subsection (14).
             196          (b) The division may suspend the license of a person under Subsection (2) until the
             197      person shows satisfactory evidence of compliance with the terms of the traffic citation.
             198          (10) (a) By following the [emergency] procedures in Title 63G, Chapter 4,
             199      Administrative Procedures Act, the division may [immediately] suspend the license of any
             200      person [without hearing and] without receiving a record of the person's conviction for a crime
             201      when the division has reason to believe that the person's license was granted by the division
             202      through error or fraud or that the necessary consent for the license has been withdrawn or is
             203      terminated.
             204          (b) The procedure upon suspension is the same as under Subsection (5), except that
             205      after the hearing the division shall either rescind its order of suspension or cancel the license.
             206          (11) (a) The division, having good cause to believe that a licensed driver is
             207      incompetent or otherwise not qualified to be licensed, may upon notice in a manner specified
             208      by the division of at least five days to the licensee require him to submit to an examination.
             209          (b) Upon the conclusion of the examination the division may suspend or revoke the
             210      person's license, permit him to retain the license, or grant a license subject to a restriction
             211      imposed in accordance with Section 53-3-208 .
             212          (c) Refusal or neglect of the licensee to submit to an examination is grounds for
             213      suspension or revocation of the licensee's license.


             214          (12) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (12)(b), a report authorized by Section
             215      53-3-104 may not contain any evidence of a conviction for speeding on an interstate system in
             216      this state if the conviction was for a speed of 10 miles per hour or less, above the posted speed
             217      limit and did not result in an accident, unless authorized in a manner specified by the division
             218      by the individual whose report is being requested.
             219          (b) The provisions of Subsection (12)(a) do not apply for:
             220          (i) a CDL license holder; or
             221          (ii) a violation that occurred in a commercial motor vehicle.
             222          (13) (a) By following the [emergency] procedures in Title 63G, Chapter 4,
             223      Administrative Procedures Act, the division may [immediately] suspend the license of a person
             224      if it has reason to believe that the person is the owner of a motor vehicle for which security is
             225      required under Title 41, Chapter 12a, Financial Responsibility of Motor Vehicle Owners and
             226      Operators Act, and has driven the motor vehicle or permitted it to be driven within this state
             227      without the security being in effect.
             228          (b) The division may [immediately] suspend a driving privilege card holder's driving
             229      privilege card if the division receives notification from the Motor Vehicle Division that:
             230          (i) the driving privilege card holder is the registered owner of a vehicle; and
             231          (ii) the driving privilege card holder's vehicle registration has been revoked under
             232      Subsection 41-1a-110 (2)(a)(ii)(A).
             233          (c) Section 41-12a-411 regarding the requirement of proof of owner's or operator's
             234      security applies to persons whose driving privileges are suspended under this Subsection (13).
             235          [(d) If the division exercises the right of immediate suspension granted under this
             236      Subsection (13), the notice and hearing provisions of Subsection (5) apply.]
             237          [(e) A person whose license suspension has been sustained or whose license has been
             238      revoked by the division under this Subsection (13) may file a request for agency action
             239      requesting a hearing.]
             240          (14) The division may deny an individual's license if the person fails to comply with
             241      the requirement to downgrade the person's CDL to a class D license under Section 53-3-410.1 .
             242          (15) The division may deny a person's class A, B, C, or D license if the person fails to
             243      comply with the requirement to have a K restriction removed from the person's license.
             244          (16) Any suspension or revocation of a person's license under this section also


             245      disqualifies any license issued to that person under Part 4, Uniform Commercial Driver License
             246      Act.
             247          Section 2. Section 53-3-1007 is amended to read:
             248           53-3-1007. Ignition interlock system provider -- Notification to the division upon
             249      installation or removal of an ignition interlock system -- License suspension or revocation
             250      for failure to install or remove.
             251          (1) An ignition interlock system provider who installs an ignition interlock system on a
             252      person's vehicle shall:
             253          (a) provide proof of installation to the person; and
             254          (b) electronically notify the division of installation of an ignition interlock system on
             255      the person's vehicle.
             256          (2) An ignition interlock system provider shall electronically notify the division if a
             257      person has removed an ignition interlock system from the person's vehicle.
             258          (3) If an individual is an interlock restricted driver, the division shall:
             259          (a) suspend the person's driving privilege for the duration of the restriction period as
             260      defined in Section 41-6a-518.2 ;
             261          (b) notify the person of the suspension period in place and the requirements for
             262      reinstatement of the driving privilege with respect to the ignition interlock restriction
             263      suspension; and
             264          (c) clear the suspension upon:
             265          (i) receipt of payment of the fee or fees specified in Section 53-3-105 ; and
             266          (ii) (A) receipt of electronic notification from an ignition interlock system provider
             267      showing proof of the installation of an ignition interlock system on the person's vehicle; or
             268          (B) electronically verifying that the person does not have a vehicle registered in the
             269      person's name in the state of Utah.
             270          (4) By following the [emergency] procedures in Title 63G, Chapter 4, Administrative
             271      Procedures Act, the division shall suspend the license of any person [without hearing and]
             272      without receiving a record of the person's conviction of crime seven days after receiving
             273      electronic notification from an ignition interlock system provider that a person has removed an
             274      ignition interlock system from the person's vehicle if the person is an interlock restricted driver
             275      until:


             276          (a) the division:
             277          (i) receives payment of the fee or fees specified in Section 53-3-105 ; and
             278          (ii) (A) receives electronic notification from an ignition interlock system provider
             279      showing new proof of the installation of an ignition interlock system; or
             280          (B) electronically verifies that the person does not have a vehicle registered in the
             281      person's name in the state of Utah; or
             282          (b) the person's interlock restricted period has expired.
             283          (5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             284      division shall make rules establishing:
             285          (a) procedures for certification and regulation of ignition interlock system providers;
             286          (b) acceptable documentation for proof of the installation of an ignition interlock
             287      device;
             288          (c) procedures for an ignition interlock system provider to electronically notify the
             289      division; and
             290          (d) policies and procedures for the administration of the ignition interlock system
             291      program created under this section.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-13-13 11:06 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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