MD
Maryland Senate Bill SB709

Maryland 2023 Regular Session

Maryland Senate Bill SB709 Compare Versions

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1- WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 442
21
3-– 1 –
4-Chapter 442
5-(Senate Bill 709)
62
7-AN ACT concerning
3+EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4+ [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5+ Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6+ Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7+amendment.
8+ *sb0709*
89
9-Motor Vehicles – Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Instructional Permits
10- – Revisions
10+SENATE BILL 709
11+R4 3lr0024
1112
12-FOR the purpose of altering the expiration date for a commercial driver’s instructional
13-permit held by certain individuals; exempting a holder of a commercial driver’s
14-license who applies for renewal from the requirement to pass a vision test if the
15-holder has a current certificate of physical examination on file with the Motor Vehicle
16-Administration; and generally relating to commercial driver’s licenses and
17-instructional permits.
13+By: Chair, Judicial Proceedings Committee (By Request – Departmental –
14+Transportation)
15+Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2023
16+Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
17+Committee Report: Favorable
18+Senate action: Adopted
19+Read second time: March 2, 2023
1820
19-BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
20- Article – Transportation
21-Section 16–105(a)
22- Annotated Code of Maryland
23- (2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
21+CHAPTER ______
2422
25-BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
26- Article – Transportation
27- Section 16–105(e) and 16–115(i)
28- Annotated Code of Maryland
29- (2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement)
23+AN ACT concerning 1
3024
31- SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
32-That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
25+Motor Vehicles – Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Instructional Permits 2
26+ – Revisions 3
3327
34-Article – Transportation
28+FOR the purpose of altering the expiration date for a commercial driver’s instructional 4
29+permit held by certain individuals; exempting a holder of a commercial driver’s 5
30+license who applies for renewal from the requirement to pass a vision test if the 6
31+holder has a current certificate of physical examination on file with the Motor Vehicle 7
32+Administration; and generally relating to commercial driver’s licenses and 8
33+instructional permits. 9
3534
36-16–105.
35+BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
36+ Article – Transportation 11
37+Section 16–105(a) 12
38+ Annotated Code of Maryland 13
39+ (2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 14
3740
38- (a) (1) Any individual who desires to obtain an original driver’s license under
39-this subtitle or to be licensed in a class for which the individual is not already licensed
40-under this subtitle shall apply to the Administration for the desired driver’s license.
41+BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
42+ Article – Transportation 16
43+ Section 16–105(e) and 16–115(i) 17
44+ Annotated Code of Maryland 18
45+ (2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) 19
4146
42- (2) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, before issuing a
43-driver’s license, the Administration shall issue to each applicant a learner’s instructional
44-permit. The learner’s instructional permit shall identify clearly the class of license for which
45-the applicant has applied.
47+ SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
48+That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21 2 SENATE BILL 709
4649
47- (3) (i) Each applicant for a learner’s instructional permit who is under
48-the age of 16 years shall present to the Administration a copy of the applicant’s school
49-attendance record. Ch. 442 2023 LAWS OF MARYLAND
5050
51-– 2 –
5251
53- (ii) The Administration may not issue a learner’s instructional
54-permit to an applicant under the age of 16 years if the applicant’s school attendance record
55-indicates more than 10 unexcused absences during the prior school semester.
52+Article – Transportation 1
5653
57- (e) (1) This subsection only applies to an individual who holds a license and
58-who seeks a different class license to drive a motor vehicle that, under the individual’s
59-current license, the individual is not authorized to drive.
54+16–105. 2
6055
61- (2) The holder of a learner’s instructional permit may not take the driver’s
62-license examination sooner than 14 days after the permit is issued.
56+ (a) (1) Any individual who desires to obtain an original driver’s license under 3
57+this subtitle or to be licensed in a class for which the individual is not already licensed 4
58+under this subtitle shall apply to the Administration for the desired driver’s license. 5
6359
64- (3) The 14 days’ requirement may be waived if a subsequent learner’s
65-instructional permit is issued or applied for.
60+ (2) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, before issuing a 6
61+driver’s license, the Administration shall issue to each applicant a learner’s instructional 7
62+permit. The learner’s instructional permit shall identify clearly the class of license for which 8
63+the applicant has applied. 9
6664
67- (4) A learner’s instructional permit issued to an individual described in
68-paragraph (1) of this subsection expires 180 days after date of issuance.
65+ (3) (i) Each applicant for a learner’s instructional permit who is under 10
66+the age of 16 years shall present to the Administration a copy of the applicant’s school 11
67+attendance record. 12
6968
70- (5) A COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S INSTRUCTIONAL PERMIT ISSUED TO AN
71-INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION E XPIRES 1 YEAR
72-AFTER THE DATE OF IS SUANCE.
69+ (ii) The Administration may not issue a learner’s instructional 13
70+permit to an applicant under the age of 16 years if the applicant’s school attendance record 14
71+indicates more than 10 unexcused absences during the prior school semester. 15
7372
74-16–115.
73+ (e) (1) This subsection only applies to an individual who holds a license and 16
74+who seeks a different class license to drive a motor vehicle that, under the individual’s 17
75+current license, the individual is not authorized to drive. 18
7576
76- (i) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) [and], (3), AND (5) of this
77-subsection, the Administration shall require every individual applying for renewal of a
78-driver’s license to pass a vision test as prescribed by the Administration.
77+ (2) The holder of a learner’s instructional permit may not take the driver’s 19
78+license examination sooner than 14 days after the permit is issued. 20
7979
80- (2) (i) The Administration shall accept a certification of acceptable
81-visual acuity from a licensed physician or optometrist instead of requiring the actual test
82-provided for in this subsection.
80+ (3) The 14 days’ requirement may be waived if a subsequent learner’s 21
81+instructional permit is issued or applied for. 22
8382
84- (ii) The examination for which certification is made shall take place
85-within 2 years of the date of application for renewal.
83+ (4) A learner’s instructional permit issued to an individual described in 23
84+paragraph (1) of this subsection expires 180 days after date of issuance. 24
8685
87- (3) An individual at least 21 years of age but under the age of 40 years may
88-apply for renewal of a driver’s license electronically or by mail or other means authorized
89-by the Administration without taking a vision test if the applicant has passed a vision test
90-authorized by the Administration within the previous 9 years.
86+ (5) A COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S INSTRUCTIONAL PERMIT ISSUED TO AN 25
87+INDIVIDUAL DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION E XPIRES 1 YEAR 26
88+AFTER THE DATE OF IS SUANCE. 27
9189
92- (4) (i) If the Administration has reason to believe that an individual is
93-a safety hazard by reason of a vision deficiency, the Administration may require the vision
94-test provided for in this subsection at a time other than renewal of a driver’s license.
90+16–115. 28
9591
96- (ii) The Administration may adopt regulations to implement the
97-provisions of this subsection. WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 442
92+ (i) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) [and], (3), AND (5) of this 29
93+subsection, the Administration shall require every individual applying for renewal of a 30
94+driver’s license to pass a vision test as prescribed by the Administration. 31
9895
99-– 3 –
96+ (2) (i) The Administration shall accept a certification of acceptable 32
97+visual acuity from a licensed physician or optometrist instead of requiring the actual test 33 SENATE BILL 709 3
10098
101- (5) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HO LDS A COMMERCIAL DRI VER’S LICENSE
102-AND APPLIES FOR RENE WAL IS EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO PASS A VISION
103-TEST IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A CURRENT CERTIFICATE OF PHYSICAL EXAMINAT ION
104-ON FILE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION , AS REQUIRED UNDER 49 C.F.R. §§ 391.43 AND
105-391.45.
10699
107- SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
108-October 1, 2023.
100+provided for in this subsection. 1
109101
110-Approved by the Governor, May 8, 2023.
102+ (ii) The examination for which certification is made shall take place 2
103+within 2 years of the date of application for renewal. 3
104+
105+ (3) An individual at least 21 years of age but under the age of 40 years may 4
106+apply for renewal of a driver’s license electronically or by mail or other means authorized 5
107+by the Administration without taking a vision test if the applicant has passed a vision test 6
108+authorized by the Administration within the previous 9 years. 7
109+
110+ (4) (i) If the Administration has reason to believe that an individual is 8
111+a safety hazard by reason of a vision deficiency, the Administration may require the vision 9
112+test provided for in this subsection at a time other than renewal of a driver’s license. 10
113+
114+ (ii) The Administration may adopt regulations to implement the 11
115+provisions of this subsection. 12
116+
117+ (5) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HOL DS A COMMERCIAL DRIVE R’S LICENSE 13
118+AND APPLIES FOR RENE WAL IS EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENT TO PASS A VISION 14
119+TEST IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS A CURRENT CERTIFICATE OF PHYSICAL EXAMINAT ION 15
120+ON FILE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION , AS REQUIRED UNDER 49 C.F.R. §§ 391.43 AND 16
121+391.45. 17
122+
123+ SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
124+October 1, 2023. 19
125+
126+
127+
128+Approved:
129+________________________________________________________________________________
130+ Governor.
131+________________________________________________________________________________
132+ President of the Senate.
133+________________________________________________________________________________
134+ Speaker of the House of Delegates.