General Assembly Governor's Bill No. 1018
January Session, 2011 LCO No. 3543
*03543__________*
Referred to Committee on Transportation
Introduced by:
SEN. WILLIAMS, 29th Dist. SEN. LOONEY, 11th Dist. REP. DONOVAN, 84th Dist. REP. SHARKEY, 88th Dist.
General Assembly
Governor's Bill No. 1018
January Session, 2011
LCO No. 3543
*03543__________*
Referred to Committee on Transportation
Introduced by:
SEN. WILLIAMS, 29th Dist.
SEN. LOONEY, 11th Dist.
REP. DONOVAN, 84th Dist.
REP. SHARKEY, 88th Dist.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR WEIGH STATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELECTRONIC RENEWAL NOTICES AND THE ELIMINATION OF VISION SCREENING TESTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 14-270c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
(a) The [Commissioners of Public Safety and] Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall staff, and coordinate coverage and hours of operation of, the official weighing areas as follows:
(1) Greenwich: Eight work shifts in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday. No such shifts shall be worked consecutively, except that two shifts may be worked consecutively on not more than three days;
(2) Danbury: The [Department of Public Safety shall staff three work shifts in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday and the] Department of Motor Vehicles shall staff [three] six work shifts in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday. The Commissioner of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles shall, whenever possible, coordinate coverage between this official weighing area and the official weighing area in Greenwich in order to ensure concurrent coverage;
(3) Union: Between five and eight work shifts in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday; [.The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall coordinate the hours of operation of this official weighing area;] and
(4) Portable scale locations: Ten shifts in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday which shall be staggered throughout the four geographical areas established by the Commissioner of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles with concentration in areas that have fewer hours of operation for the permanent weighing areas.
(b) The [Commissioners of Public Safety and] Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall adjust the work shifts required in subsection (a) of this section on a daily basis in order to effectuate an unpredictable schedule.
(c) The Commissioner of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles may assign [any remaining] personnel [in the traffic unit] to the permanent weighing areas in Waterford and Middletown or to the portable scale operations.
(d) The Commissioner of Public Safety, at the request of the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, shall assign [personnel from the traffic unit to work between nine and twelve shifts] one trooper to each working shift in each seven-day period from Sunday through Saturday to patrol and enforce laws relative to the safe movement of all vehicles on the highways of the state.
[(e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit the Commissioner of Public Safety from reassigning personnel in the traffic unit as he deems necessary in order to ensure public safety.]
Sec. 2. Section 14-270d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Division [of State Police] within the Department of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles shall temporarily close any weigh station located within the state that develops a backlog of traffic entering said weigh station and therefore creates a traffic hazard.
Sec. 3. Section 14-270e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
On or before January 1, [2004] 2012, the Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall establish a program to implement regularly scheduled and enforced hours of operation for weigh stations. Not later than October 1, [2004] 2012, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11-4a, on the planned program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation.
Sec. 4. Section 14-270f of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
(a) On and after January 1, 2008, logs shall be maintained for each shift at all weigh stations located in the state. Each log shall contain the following information with respect to each weigh station: (1) The location, date and hours of each shift, (2) the hours the "OPEN" sign is illuminated, (3) the number of Department of Motor Vehicles and Department of Public Safety officers or civilian technicians for each shift, (4) the number and weight of all vehicles inspected, (5) the type of vehicle inspections, (6) the number and types of citations issued, (7) the amount of fines that may be imposed for overweight or other violations, (8) the operating costs for each shift, and (9) the number of vehicles that pass through the weigh station during each shift. Each log shall be submitted to the Commissioner of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles. Not later than December 15, [2007] 2011, the Commissioner of [Public Safety, in consultation with the Commissioner of] Motor Vehicles [,] shall develop and distribute a form for the recording of such information.
(b) Not later than January 1, [2008] 2012, and semiannually thereafter, the Commissioner of [Public Safety] Motor Vehicles shall submit, in accordance with section 11-4a, a written report that contains a summary of the information specified in subsection (a) of this section for the preceding six-month period to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation. Such report shall also be posted on the Internet web site of the [Departments] Department of Motor Vehicles. [and Public Safety.]
Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 1-1h of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
(b) An identity card shall expire within a period not exceeding six years from the date of issuance of such card. Each such card shall indicate its date of expiration. Any person who holds an identity card shall be notified by the commissioner before its expiration and may renew such card in such manner as the commissioner shall prescribe upon payment of a fee of twenty-two dollars and fifty cents. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall establish an electronic process for notification of the expiration of any identity card.
Sec. 6. Section 14-41 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
[(a) Except as provided in section 14-41a, each motor vehicle operator's license shall be renewed every six years or every four years on the date of the operator's birthday in accordance with a schedule to be established by the commissioner. Upon every other renewal of a motor vehicle operator's license or identity card issued pursuant to section 1-1h, the commissioner may issue such license or identity card without the personal appearance of the licensee or identity card holder if (1) such licensee or identity card holder has a digital image on file with the commissioner, and (2) such licensee or identity card holder has fulfilled all other requirements for such renewal. On and after July 1, 2011, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall screen the vision of each motor vehicle operator prior to every other renewal of the operator's license of such operator in accordance with a schedule adopted by the commissioner. Such screening requirement shall apply to every other renewal following the initial screening. In lieu of the vision screening by the commissioner, such operator may submit the results of a vision screening conducted by a licensed health care professional qualified to conduct such screening on a form prescribed by the commissioner during the twelve months preceding such renewal. No motor vehicle operator's license may be renewed unless the operator passes such vision screening. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this subsection related to the administration of vision screening.]
[(b)] (a) An original operator's license shall expire within a period not exceeding six years following the date of the operator's next birthday. The fee for such original license shall be computed at the rate of forty-four dollars for a four-year license, sixty-six dollars for a six-year license and eleven dollars per year or any part of a year. The commissioner may authorize an automobile club or association, licensed in accordance with the provisions of section 14-67 on or before July 1, 2007, to perform license renewals, renewals of identity cards issued pursuant to section 1-1h, as amended by this act, and registration transactions at its office facilities. The commissioner may authorize such automobile clubs or associations to charge a convenience fee, which shall not exceed two dollars, to each applicant for a license or identity card renewal or a registration transaction.
[(c)] (b) The commissioner shall, at least fifteen days before the date on which each motor vehicle operator's license expires, notify the operator of the expiration date. The commissioner shall establish an electronic process for notification of the expiration of any motor vehicle operator's license. Any previously licensed operator who operates a motor vehicle within sixty days after the expiration date of the operator's license without obtaining a renewal of the license shall be deemed to have failed to renew a motor vehicle operator's license and shall be fined in accordance with the amount designated for the infraction of failure to renew a motor vehicle operator's license. Any operator so charged shall not be prosecuted under section 14-36 for the same act constituting a violation under this section but section 14-36 shall apply after the sixty-day period.
[(d)] (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1-3a, if the expiration date of any motor vehicle operator's license or any public passenger transportation permit falls on any day when offices of the commissioner are closed for business or are open for less than a full business day, the license or permit shall be deemed valid until midnight of the next day on which offices of the commissioner are open for a full day of business.
Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 14-44h of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2011):
(c) The commissioner shall, at least fifteen days before the date on which each commercial driver's license expires, notify the operator of the expiration date. The commissioner shall establish an electronic process for notification of the expiration of any commercial driver's license. Any previously licensed operator who operates a commercial motor vehicle within sixty days after the expiration date of such operator license without obtaining a renewal of such license shall be deemed to have failed to renew a motor vehicle operator's license and shall be fined in accordance with the amount designated for the infraction of failure to renew a motor vehicle operator's license. Any operator so charged shall not be prosecuted under section 14-36 for the same act constituting a violation under this section but said section 14-36 shall apply after the sixty-day period.
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2011) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 14-60q of the general statutes, the Department of Motor Vehicles shall not be required to maintain a toll-free telephone line.
Sec. 9. Section 14-11b of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective July 1, 2011)
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2011 14-270c
Sec. 2 July 1, 2011 14-270d
Sec. 3 July 1, 2011 14-270e
Sec. 4 July 1, 2011 14-270f
Sec. 5 July 1, 2011 1-1h(b)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2011 14-41
Sec. 7 July 1, 2011 14-44h(c)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2011 New section
Sec. 9 July 1, 2011 Repealer section
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1
July 1, 2011
14-270c
Sec. 2
July 1, 2011
14-270d
Sec. 3
July 1, 2011
14-270e
Sec. 4
July 1, 2011
14-270f
Sec. 5
July 1, 2011
1-1h(b)
Sec. 6
July 1, 2011
14-41
Sec. 7
July 1, 2011
14-44h(c)
Sec. 8
July 1, 2011
New section
Sec. 9
July 1, 2011
Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]