Vermont H 284: An act relating to data collection in the criminal justice system

Bill Text

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H.284 1
Introduced by Representatives Burke of Brattleboro and Pouech of Hinesburg 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Motor vehicles; operator’s licenses; renewal; endorsements; older 5
drivers; motor homes 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require 7
residents 70 years of age or older to appear in person and pass a vision test to 8
renew an operator’s license and to require an endorsement to operate a motor 9
home weighing at least 10,000 pounds and not more than 26,000 pounds and a 10
commercial driver’s license to operate a motor home weighing at least 26,001 11
pounds. 12
An act relating to requirements for older drivers to renew operator’s 13
licenses and for the operation of motor homes 14
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 15
* * * Vision Test Requirements * * * 16
Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 632 is amended to read: 17
§ 632. EXAMINATION REQUIRED; WAIVER 18
(a) Before an operator’s or a junior operator’s license is issued to an 19
applicant for the first time in this State, or before a renewal license is issued to 20

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an applicant whose previous Vermont license had expired more than three 1
years prior to the application for renewal, the applicant shall pass a satisfactory 2
examination, except that the Commissioner may, in his or her the 3
Commissioner’s discretion, waive the examination when the applicant holds a 4
chauffeur’s or operator’s license in force at the time of application or within 5
three years prior to the application in some other jurisdiction where an 6
examination is required similar to the examination required in this State. 7
(b) The examination shall consist of: 8
(1) an oral or written examination; 9
(2) a thorough road test; and 10
(3) at the discretion of the Commissioner, such other examination or 11
demonstration as he or she the Commissioner may prescribe, including an oral 12
eye examination. 13
(c) An applicant may have an individual of his or her the applicant’s 14
choosing at the oral examination or road test to serve as an interpreter, 15
including to translate any oral commands given as part of the road test. 16
(d) Before a renewal license is issued to an applicant 70 years of age or 17
older, the applicant must appear in person at a Department location and pass a 18
vision test. 19
* * * Requirements to Operate a Motor Home * * * 20

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Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 4 is amended to read: 1
§ 4. DEFINITIONS 2
Except as may otherwise be provided by law, and unless the context 3
otherwise requires in statutes relating to motor vehicles and enforcement of the 4
law regulating vehicles, as provided in this title and 20 V.S.A. part 5, the 5
following definitions shall apply: 6
* * * 7
(89) “Motor home” has the same meaning as in 32 V.S.A. § 8902(11). 8
Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 601 is amended to read: 9
§ 601. LICENSE REQUIRED 10
* * * 11
(d)(1)(A) The Commissioner may, in his or her the Commissioner’s 12
discretion, determine that certain types of motor vehicles require that an 13
operator possess specialized skill or knowledge to operate those vehicles so 14
that the public safety may not be endangered. If the Commissioner so 15
determines, he or she the Commissioner may prescribe different classes of 16
licenses or endorsements for the operation of particular types of vehicles. 17
(B) The Commissioner is authorized to make rules prescribing forms 18
and procedures for applications, license classifications, restrictions, 19
endorsements, examinations, driver training requirements, and 20

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disqualifications consistent with this title as necessary to carry out the 1
provisions of this section. 2
(2) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to this title, a person shall not 3
operate a motor home weighing at least 10,000 pounds and not more than 4
26,000 pounds unless the person holds a valid motor home endorsement issued 5
by the State. 6
* * * 7
Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 608 is amended to read: 8
§ 608. FEES 9
* * * 10
(b) An additional fee of $4.00 per year shall be paid for a motorcycle or 11
motor home endorsement. The endorsement may be obtained for either a two-12
year or four-year period, to be coincidental with the length of the operator’s 13
license. 14
Sec. 5. 23 V.S.A. § 615 is amended to read: 15
§ 615. UNLICENSED OPERATORS 16
(a)(1)(A) An unlicensed person 15 years of age or older may operate a 17
motor vehicle if he or she the unlicensed person possesses a valid learner’s 18
permit issued to him or her the unlicensed person by the Commissioner, or by 19
another jurisdiction in accordance with section 208 of this title, and if one of 20

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the following persons who is not under the influence of alcohol or dru