Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01150 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	LCO 5832 1 of 6
	3	+
	4	+	LCO No. 5832 1 of 6
4	5
5	6		General Assembly Committee Bill No. 1150
6	7		January Session, 2025
7	8		LCO No. 5832
8	9
9	10
10	11		Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AND MILITARY
11	12		AFFAIRS
12	13
13	14
14	15		Introduced by:
15	16		(VA)
16	17
17	18
18	19
19	20		AN ACT PROVIDING FOR NO -COST DRIVER'S LICENSE AND
20	21		IDENTITY CARD RENEWALS FOR VETERANS.
21	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
22	23		Assembly convened:
23	24
24	25		Section 1. Section 14-41 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
25	26		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 2
26	27		(a) (1) An original motor vehicle operator's license shall expire within 3
27	28		a period not exceeding seven years following the date of the operator's 4
28	29		next birthday. The fee for such license shall be eighty-four dollars. Upon 5
29	30		renewal of a license, the commissioner may issue a license for a period 6
30	31		to be determined by the commissioner, provided such period does not 7
31	32		exceed eight years. The fee for the renewal of a license that expires eight 8
32	33		years from the date of issuance shall be ninety-six dollars. The 9
33	34		commissioner shall charge a prorated amount of such fee for a license 10
34	35		that expires less than eight years from the date of issuance. 11
35	36		(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this 12
36	37		subsection, upon application at any time to renew a motor vehicle 13
37		-	operator's license of any person whose current license contains such 14 Committee Bill No. 1150
	38	+	operator's license of any person whose current license contains such 14
	39	+	person's status as a veteran in accordance with subsection (e) of section 15
	40	+	Committee Bill No. 1150
38	41
39	42
40		-	LCO 5832 2 of 6
	43	+	LCO No. 5832 2 of 6
41	44
42		-	person's status as a veteran in accordance with subsection (e) of section 15
43	45		14-36h, the commissioner shall waive the fee to renew such license. For 16
44	46		any such renewal application made earlier than six months prior to the 17
45	47		date on which such license expires, the commissioner shall issue to such 18
46	48		person a voucher entitling such person to renewal of such person's 19
47	49		license, free of charge, during such six-month period. 20
48	50		(b) The commissioner may authorize a contractor, including, but not 21
49	51		limited to, an automobile club or association licensed in accordance with 22
50	52		the provisions of section 14-67 on or before July 1, 2007, or any 23
51	53		municipality, to issue duplicate licenses and identity cards pursuant to 24
52	54		section 14-50a, renew licenses, renew identity cards issued pursuant to 25
53	55		section 1-1h, as amended by this act, and conduct registration 26
54	56		transactions. The commissioner may authorize such contractors and 27
55	57		municipalities to charge a convenience fee, which shall not exceed eight 28
56	58		dollars, to each applicant for a license or identity card renewal or 29
57	59		duplication, or for a registration transaction. 30
58	60		(c) Any previously licensed operator who fails to renew a motor 31
59	61		vehicle operator's license in accordance with subsection (a) of this 32
60	62		section shall be charged a late fee of twenty-five dollars upon renewal 33
61	63		of such operator's license. 34
62	64		(d) The commissioner may, at least fifteen days before the date on 35
63	65		which each motor vehicle operator's license or identity card expires, 36
64	66		notify the holder of such license or identity card of the expiration date, 37
65	67		in a manner determined by the commissioner. The commissioner shall 38
66	68		not provide such notification by mail to any such licensee or identity 39
67	69		card holder if the United States Postal Service has determined that mail 40
68	70		is undeliverable to the address for such person that is documented in 41
69	71		the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Any previously 42
70	72		licensed operator who operates a motor vehicle within sixty days after 43
71	73		the expiration date of the operator's license without obtaining a renewal 44
72	74		of the license shall be fined in accordance with the amount designated 45
73	75		for the infraction of failure to renew a motor vehicle operator's license. 46
74		-	Any operator so charged shall not be prosecuted under section 14-36 for 47 Committee Bill No. 1150
	76	+	Any operator so charged shall not be prosecuted under section 14-36 for 47
	77	+	Committee Bill No. 1150
75	78
76	79
77		-	LCO 5832 3 of 6
	80	+	LCO No. 5832 3 of 6
78	81
79	82		the same act constituting a violation under this section but section 14-36 48
80	83		shall apply after the sixty-day period. 49
81	84		(e) On and after January 1, 2013, the commissioner may extend the 50
82	85		expiration date of an operator's license or identity card for a period of 51
83	86		six months when such licensee or identity card holder presents 52
84	87		documentation satisfactory to the commissioner that such person was 53
85	88		out of the state during the renewal period for such license or identity 54
86	89		card, or when the commissioner requires additional time to determine 55
87	90		whether such person qualifies for a renewal. The fee for such extension 56
88	91		shall be the same as that for a duplicate license under section 14-50a and 57
89	92		no part of such fee shall be subject to refund. The commissioner shall 58
90	93		not grant more than one extension to any such person pursuant to this 59
91	94		subsection. 60
92	95		(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1-3a, if the expiration 61
93	96		date of any motor vehicle operator's license or any public passenger 62
94	97		endorsement falls on any day when the offices of the commissioner are 63
95	98		closed for business or are open for less than a full business day, the 64
96	99		license or permit shall be deemed valid until midnight of the next day 65
97	100		on which the offices of the commissioner are open for a full day of 66
98	101		business. 67
99	102		(g) The commissioner shall develop, and thereafter revise as needed, 68
100	103		a video presentation concerning current state laws that impact 69
101	104		motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists and ways to practice safe driving 70
102	105		behaviors and reduce transportation-related fatalities and severe 71
103	106		injuries. In developing such video presentation, the commissioner may 72
104	107		use materials and one or more video presentations developed by a 73
105	108		governmental entity, independent contractor or any other party. Upon 74
106	109		every other renewal of a motor vehicle operator's license, the 75
107	110		commissioner shall require the licensee to watch such video 76
108	111		presentation prior to issuing such license. 77
109	112		Sec. 2. Section 1-1h of the general statutes is repealed and the 78
110		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 79 Committee Bill No. 1150
	113	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 79
	114	+	Committee Bill No. 1150
111	115
112	116
113		-	LCO 5832 4 of 6
	117	+	LCO No. 5832 4 of 6
114	118
115	119		(a) Any person who does not possess a valid motor vehicle operator's 80
116	120		license may apply to the Department of Motor Vehicles for an identity 81
117	121		card. The application for an identity card shall be accompanied by the 82
118	122		birth certificate of the applicant or a certificate of identification of the 83
119	123		applicant issued and authorized for such use by the Department of 84
120	124		Correction and a fee of twenty-eight dollars. Such application shall 85
121	125		include: (1) The applicant's name; (2) the applicant's address; (3) 86
122	126		whether the address is permanent or temporary; (4) the applicant's date 87
123	127		of birth; (5) notice to the applicant that false statements on such 88
124	128		application are punishable under section 53a-157b; and (6) such other 89
125	129		pertinent information as the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles deems 90
126	130		necessary. The applicant shall sign the application in the presence of an 91
127	131		official of the Department of Motor Vehicles. The commissioner may 92
128	132		waive the fee for any applicant (A) who has voluntarily surrendered 93
129	133		such applicant's motor vehicle operator's license, (B) whose license has 94
130	134		been refused by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision (4) of 95
131	135		subsection (e) of section 14-36, (C) who is both a veteran, as defined in 96
132	136		subsection (a) of section 27-103, and blind, as defined in subsection (a) 97
133	137		of section 1-1f, or (D) who is a resident of a homeless shelter or other 98
134	138		facility for homeless persons or a certified homeless youth or certified 99
135	139		homeless young adult. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in 100
136	140		accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to establish the procedure 101
137	141		and qualifications for the issuance of an identity card to any such 102
138	142		homeless applicant. For the purposes of this subsection, "certified 103
139	143		homeless youth" and "certified homeless young adult" have the same 104
140	144		meanings as provided in section 7-36. 105
141	145		(b) (1) An identity card shall indicate its date of expiration, contain a 106
142	146		picture of the applicant and specify the applicant's height, sex and eye 107
143	147		color. 108
144	148		(2) (A) An original identity card shall expire within a period not 109
145	149		exceeding seven years following the date of the applicant's next 110
146	150		birthday. Any person who holds an identity card may be notified by the 111
147	151		commissioner before its expiration and may renew such card in such 112
148		-	~~manner as the commissioner shall prescribe. Upon renewal of an 113~~ Committee Bill No. 1150
	152	+	Committee Bill No. 1150
149	153
150	154
151		-	LCO 5832 5 of 6
	155	+	LCO No. 5832 5 of 6
152	156
	157	+	manner as the commissioner shall prescribe. Upon renewal of an 113
153	158		identity card, the commissioner may issue an identity card for a period 114
154	159		to be determined by the commissioner, provided such period does not 115
155	160		exceed eight years. The fee for the renewal of an identity card that 116
156	161		expires eight years from the date of issuance shall be thirty-two dollars. 117
157	162		The commissioner shall charge a prorated amount of such fee for an 118
158	163		identity card that expires less than eight years from the date of issuance. 119
159	164		The commissioner shall not provide notification by mail to the holder of 120
160	165		an identity card if the United States Postal Service has determined that 121
161	166		mail is undeliverable to such person at the address for such person that 122
162	167		is in the records of the department. 123
163	168		(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A) of this 124
164	169		subdivision, upon application at any time to renew an identity card of 125
165	170		any person whose current identity card contains such person's status as 126
166	171		a veteran in accordance with subsection (e) of section 14-36h, the 127
167	172		commissioner shall waive the fee to renew such identity card. For any 128
168	173		such renewal application made earlier than six months prior to the date 129
169	174		on which such identity card expires, the commissioner shall issue to 130
170	175		such person a voucher entitling such person to renewal of such person's 131
171	176		identity card, free of charge, during such six-month period. 132
172	177		(c) A distinctive identity card shall be issued to any applicant less 133
173	178		than twenty-one years of age. The identity card shall contain a statement 134
174	179		that it is issued subject to the same verification of the applicant's identity 135
175	180		as required for the issuance of a motor vehicle operator's license. The 136
176	181		card may thereafter be exhibited to establish the age and identity of the 137
177	182		person to whom it was issued. 138
178	183		(d) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the 139
179	184		Liquor Control Commission, shall adopt regulations in accordance with 140
180	185		the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the purposes of this section and 141
181	186		section 30-86. 142
182	187		(e) Any person who misrepresents his or her age or practices any 143
183	188		other deceit in the procurement of an identity card, or uses or exhibits 144
184		-	~~an identity card belonging to any other person, shall be guilty of a class 145~~ Committee Bill No. 1150
	189	+	Committee Bill No. 1150
185	190
186	191
187		-	LCO 5832 6 of 6
	192	+	LCO No. 5832 6 of 6
188	193
	194	+	an identity card belonging to any other person, shall be guilty of a class 145
189	195		D misdemeanor and shall have such identity card revoked by the 146
190	196		commissioner. 147
191	197		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
192	198		sections:
193	199
194	200		Section 1 July 1, 2025 14-41
195	201		Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 1-1h
196	202
197		-	VA Joint Favorable
	203	+	Statement of Purpose:
	204	+	To provide for no-cost driver's license and identity card renewals for
	205	+	veterans whose licenses and identity cards already reflect their status as
	206	+	veterans.
	207	+
	208	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
	209	+	that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
	210	+	underlined.]
	211	+
	212	+	Co-Sponsors: SEN. COHEN, 12th Dist.; SEN. OSTEN, 19th Dist.
	213	+	SEN. CICARELLA, 34th Dist.; REP. CANDELORA V., 86th Dist.
	214	+	REP. ZULLO, 99th Dist.; REP. BOLINSKY, 106th Dist.
	215	+	SEN. ANWAR, 3rd Dist.; REP. FOSTER, 57th Dist.
	216	+
	217	+	S.B. 1150
	218	+
198	219