Michigan 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Michigan Senate Bill SB0135 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 09/20/2023

                    Act No. 125 
Public Acts of 2023 
Approved by the Governor 
September 18, 2023 
Filed with the Secretary of State 
September 19, 2023 
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 19, 2023 
 
 
 
 
STATE OF MICHIGAN 
102ND LEGISLATURE 
REGULAR SESSION OF 2023 
Introduced by Senators Hertel, Johnson, Wojno, Chang, McBroom, Bellino, Polehanki, Singh, 
McCann and Shink 
 
ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 135 
AN ACT to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled “An act to provide for the registration, titling, sale, transfer, and 
regulation of certain vehicles operated upon the public highways of this state or any other place open to the 
general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles and distressed vehicles; to provide for the licensing of 
dealers; to provide for the examination, licensing, and control of operators and chauffeurs; to provide for the giving 
of proof of financial responsibility and security by owners and operators of vehicles; to provide for the imposition, 
levy, and collection of specific taxes on vehicles, and the levy and collection of sales and use taxes, license fees, 
and permit fees; to provide for the regulation and use of streets and highways; to create certain funds; to provide 
penalties and sanctions for a violation of this act; to provide for civil liability of manufacturers, the manufacturers 
of certain devices, the manufacturers of automated technology, upfitters, owners, and operators of vehicles and 
service of process on residents and nonresidents; to regulate the introduction and use of certain evidence; to 
regulate and certify the manufacturers of certain devices; to provide for approval and certification of installers 
and servicers of certain devices; to provide for the levy of certain assessments; to provide for the enforcement of 
this act; to provide for the creation of and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies; 
to impose liability upon the state or local agencies; to provide appropriations for certain purposes; to repeal all 
other acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act or contrary to this act; and to repeal certain parts of this act 
on a specific date,” by amending sections 83 and 304 (MCL 257.83 and 257.304), section 83 as added by 2020 
PA 383 and section 304 as amended by 2020 PA 376. 
 
The People of the State of Michigan enact: 
 
Sec. 83. As used in this act: 
(a) “Specialty court” or “specialty court program” means any of the following: 
(i) A drug treatment court, as that term is defined in section 1060 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 
PA 236, MCL 600.1060, in which the participant is an adult. 
(ii) A DWI/sobriety court, as that term is defined in section 1084 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 
PA 236, MCL 600.1084. 
(iii) A hybrid of the programs under subparagraphs (i) and (ii). 
(iv) A mental health court, as that term is defined in section 1090 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 1961 
PA 236, MCL 600.1090. 
(v) A veterans treatment court, as that term is defined in section 1200 of the revised judicature act of 1961, 
1961 PA 236, MCL 600.1200. 
(b) “Specialty court interlock program” means a program as that term is defined in section 1084 of the revised 
judicature act of 1961, 1961 PA 236, MCL 600.1084. 
 
 
 
(67)  Sec. 304. (1) Except as provided in subsection (3), the secretary of state shall issue a restricted license to an 
individual whose license was suspended or restricted under section 319 or revoked or denied under section 303 
based on either of the following: 
(a) Two or more convictions for violating section 625(1) or (3) or a local ordinance of this state that substantially 
corresponds to section 625(1) or (3). 
(b) One conviction for violating section 625(1) or (3) or a local ordinance of this state that substantially 
corresponds to section 625(1) or (3), preceded by 1 or more convictions for violating a local ordinance or law of 
another state that substantially corresponds to section 625(1), (3), or (6), or a law of the United States that 
substantially corresponds to section 625(1), (3), or (6). 
(2) A restricted license issued under subsection (1) must not be issued until after the individual’s operator’s or 
chauffeur’s license has been suspended or revoked for 45 days and the judge assigned to a specialty court certifies 
to the secretary of state that both of the following conditions have been met: 
(a) The individual has been admitted into a specialty court interlock program. 
(b) An ignition interlock device approved, certified, and installed as required under sections 625k and 625l has 
been installed on each motor vehicle owned or operated, or both, by the individual. 
(3) A restricted license must not be issued under subsection (1) if the individual is otherwise ineligible for an 
operator’s or chauffeur’s license under this act, unless the individual’s ineligibility is based on 1 or more of the 
following: 
(a) Section 303(1)(i) or (k). 
(b) Section 303(2)(c)(i) or (iii). 
(c) Section 303(2)(g)(i) or (iii). 
(d) Section 319(4), (5), (6), (7), (8)(a) to (e), or (9). 
(e) Section 320(1)(d). 
(f) Section 321a(1) or (2). 
(g) Section 323c. 
(h) Section 625f. 
(i) Section 732a(5). 
(j) Section 904(10). 
(k) Section 82105a(2) of the natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, 
MCL 324.82105a. 
(l) Section 3177 of the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.3177. 
(m) Section 10 of the motor vehicle accident claims act, 1965 PA 198, MCL 257.1110. 
(4) A restricted license issued under subsection (1) permits the individual to whom it is issued to operate only 
the vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock device described in subsection (2)(b), to take any driving skills test 
required by the secretary of state, and to drive to and from any combination of the following locations or events: 
(a) In the course of the individual’s employment or occupation if the employment or occupation does not require 
a commercial driver license. 
(b) To and from any combination of the following: 
(i) The individual’s residence. 
(ii) The individual’s work location. 
(iii) An alcohol, drug, or mental health education and treatment as ordered by the court. 
(iv) Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other court-ordered self-help programs. 
(v) Court hearings and probation appointments. 
(vi) Court-ordered community service. 
(vii) An educational institution at which the individual is enrolled as a student. 
(viii) A place of regularly occurring medical treatment for a serious condition or medical emergency for the 
individual or a member of the individual’s household or immediate family. 
(ix) Alcohol or drug testing as ordered by the court. 
(x) An ignition interlock service provider as required. 
(xi) At the discretion of the judge, the custodian of a minor child may drive to and from the facilities of a 
provider of day care services at which the custodian’s minor child is enrolled, or an educational institution at 
which the custodian’s minor child is enrolled as a student for the purposes of classes, academic meetings or 
conferences, and athletic or other extracurricular activities sanctioned by the educational institution in which the 
minor child is a participant. As used in this subparagraph, “minor child” means an individual who is less than 
18 years of age. 
 
2  (5) While driving with a restricted license, the individual shall carry proof of his or her destination and the 
hours of any employment, class, or other reason for traveling and shall display that proof on a peace officer’s 
request. 
(6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a restricted license issued under subsection (1) is effective 
until a hearing officer orders an unrestricted license under section 322. Subject to subsection (7), the hearing 
officer shall not order an unrestricted license until the later of the following events occurs: 
(a) The court notifies the secretary of state that the individual has successfully completed the specialty court 
program. 
(b) The minimum period of license sanction that would have been imposed under section 303 or 319 but for 
this section has been completed. 
(c) The individual demonstrates that he or she has operated with an ignition interlock device for not less than 
1 year. 
(d) The individual satisfies the requirements of section 303 and R 257.313 of the Michigan Administrative 
Code. 
(7) A hearing officer shall not issue an unrestricted license for at least 1 year if either of the following applies: 
(a) The hearing officer determines that the individual consumed any alcohol during the period that his or her 
license was restricted under this section, as determined by breath, blood, urine, or transdermal testing unless a 
second test, administered within 5 minutes after administering the first test, showed an absence of alcohol. 
(b) The hearing officer determines that the individual consumed or otherwise used any controlled substance 
during the period that his or her license was restricted under this section, except as lawfully prescribed. 
(8) In determining whether to order an unrestricted license under subsection (6), the successful completion of 
the specialty court program and a certificate from the specialty court judge must be considered positive evidence 
of the petitioner’s abstinence while the petitioner participated in the specialty court program. This subsection 
does not apply to a determination made under subsection (7). As used in this subsection, “certificate” includes, 
but is not limited to, a statement that the participant has maintained a period of abstinence from alcohol for not 
less than 6 months at the time the participant completed the specialty court program. 
(9) If the secretary of state receives a notification from a specialty court, the secretary of state shall summarily 
impose 1 of the following license sanctions, as applicable: 
(a) Suspension for the full length of time provided under section 319(8). However, a restricted license must not 
be issued as provided under section 319(8). This subdivision applies if the underlying conviction or convictions 
would have subjected the individual to a license sanction under section 319(8) if this section did not apply. 
(b) A license revocation and denial for the full length of time provided under section 303. The minimum period 
of license revocation and denial imposed must be the same as if this section did not apply. This subdivision applies 
if the underlying conviction or convictions would have caused a license revocation and denial under section 303 if 
this section did not apply. 
(10) After the individual completes the specialty court program, the following apply: 
(a) The secretary of state shall postpone considering the issuance of an unrestricted license under section 322 
for a period of 3 months for each act that would be a minor violation if the individual’s license had been issued 
under section 322(6). As used in this subdivision, “minor violation” means that term as defined in R 257.301a of 
the Michigan Administrative Code. 
(b) The restricted license issued under this section must be suspended or revoked or denied as provided in 
subsection (9), unless set aside under section 322(5), if any of the following events occur: 
(i) The individual operates a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock device that meets the criteria under 
subsection (2)(b). 
(ii) The individual removes, or causes to be removed, an ignition interlock device from a vehicle he or she owns 
or operates unless the secretary of state has authorized its removal under section 322a. 
(iii) The individual commits any other act that would be a major violation if the individual’s license had been 
issued under section 322(6). As used in this subparagraph, “major violation” means that term as defined in 
R 257.301a of the Michigan Administrative Code. 
(iv) The individual is arrested for a violation of any of the following: 
(A) Section 625. 
(B) A local ordinance of this state or another state that substantially corresponds to section 625. 
(C) A law of the United States that substantially corresponds to section 625. 
 
 
3  (c) If the individual is convicted of or found responsible for any offense that requires the suspension, revocation, 
denial, or cancellation of the individual’s operator’s or chauffeur’s license, the restricted license issued under this 
section must be suspended until the requisite period of license suspension, revocation, denial, or cancellation, as 
appropriate, has elapsed. 
(d) If the individual has failed to pay any court-ordered fines or costs that resulted from the operation of a 
vehicle, the restricted license issued under this section must be suspended pending payment of those fines and 
costs. 
(11) The vehicle of an individual admitted to the specialty court interlock program whose vehicle would 
otherwise be subject to immobilization or forfeiture under this act is exempt from both immobilization and 
forfeiture under sections 625n and 904d if both of the following apply: 
(a) The individual is a specialty court interlock program participant in good standing or the individual 
successfully satisfactorily completes the specialty court interlock program. 
(b) The individual does not subsequently violate a law of this state for which vehicle immobilization or 
forfeiture is a sanction. 
(12) This section only applies to individuals arrested for a violation of section 625 on or after January 1, 2011. 
 
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect unless Senate Bill No. 134 of the 102nd Legislature 
is enacted into law. 
 
This act is ordered to take immediate effect. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Clerk of the House of Representatives 
 
 
 
 
Approved  
 
 
 
 
 
Governor 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Compiler's note: Senate Bill No. 134, referred to in enacting section 1, was filed with the Secretary of State 
September 19, 2023, and became 2023 PA 124, Imd. Eff. Sept. 19, 2023. 
 
 
 
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Secretary of the Senate