Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0284 Compare Versions

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11 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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55 VT LEG #379378 v.1
66 H.284 1
77 Introduced by Representatives Burke of Brattleboro and Pouech of Hinesburg 2
88 Referred to Committee on 3
99 Date: 4
1010 Subject: Motor vehicles; operator’s licenses; renewal; endorsements; older 5
1111 drivers; motor homes 6
1212 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require 7
1313 residents 70 years of age or older to appear in person and pass a vision test to 8
1414 renew an operator’s license and to require an endorsement to operate a motor 9
1515 home weighing at least 10,000 pounds and not more than 26,000 pounds and a 10
1616 commercial driver’s license to operate a motor home weighing at least 26,001 11
1717 pounds. 12
1818 An act relating to requirements for older drivers to renew operator’s 13
1919 licenses and for the operation of motor homes 14
2020 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 15
2121 * * * Vision Test Requirements * * * 16
2222 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 632 is amended to read: 17
2323 § 632. EXAMINATION REQUIRED; WAIVER 18
2424 (a) Before an operator’s or a junior operator’s license is issued to an 19
2525 applicant for the first time in this State, or before a renewal license is issued to 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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2828
2929 VT LEG #379378 v.1
3030 an applicant whose previous Vermont license had expired more than three 1
3131 years prior to the application for renewal, the applicant shall pass a satisfactory 2
3232 examination, except that the Commissioner may, in his or her the 3
3333 Commissioner’s discretion, waive the examination when the applicant holds a 4
3434 chauffeur’s or operator’s license in force at the time of application or within 5
3535 three years prior to the application in some other jurisdiction where an 6
3636 examination is required similar to the examination required in this State. 7
3737 (b) The examination shall consist of: 8
3838 (1) an oral or written examination; 9
3939 (2) a thorough road test; and 10
4040 (3) at the discretion of the Commissioner, such other examination or 11
4141 demonstration as he or she the Commissioner may prescribe, including an oral 12
4242 eye examination. 13
4343 (c) An applicant may have an individual of his or her the applicant’s 14
4444 choosing at the oral examination or road test to serve as an interpreter, 15
4545 including to translate any oral commands given as part of the road test. 16
4646 (d) Before a renewal license is issued to an applicant 70 years of age or 17
4747 older, the applicant must appear in person at a Department location and pass a 18
4848 vision test. 19
4949 * * * Requirements to Operate a Motor Home * * * 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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5353 VT LEG #379378 v.1
5454 Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 4 is amended to read: 1
5555 § 4. DEFINITIONS 2
5656 Except as may otherwise be provided by law, and unless the context 3
5757 otherwise requires in statutes relating to motor vehicles and enforcement of the 4
5858 law regulating vehicles, as provided in this title and 20 V.S.A. part 5, the 5
5959 following definitions shall apply: 6
6060 * * * 7
6161 (89) “Motor home” has the same meaning as in 32 V.S.A. § 8902(11). 8
6262 Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 601 is amended to read: 9
6363 § 601. LICENSE REQUIRED 10
6464 * * * 11
6565 (d)(1)(A) The Commissioner may, in his or her the Commissioner’s 12
6666 discretion, determine that certain types of motor vehicles require that an 13
6767 operator possess specialized skill or knowledge to operate those vehicles so 14
6868 that the public safety may not be endangered. If the Commissioner so 15
6969 determines, he or she the Commissioner may prescribe different classes of 16
7070 licenses or endorsements for the operation of particular types of vehicles. 17
7171 (B) The Commissioner is authorized to make rules prescribing forms 18
7272 and procedures for applications, license classifications, restrictions, 19
7373 endorsements, examinations, driver training requirements, and 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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7575
7676
7777 VT LEG #379378 v.1
7878 disqualifications consistent with this title as necessary to carry out the 1
7979 provisions of this section. 2
8080 (2) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to this title, a person shall not 3
8181 operate a motor home weighing at least 10,000 pounds and not more than 4
8282 26,000 pounds unless the person holds a valid motor home endorsement issued 5
8383 by the State. 6
8484 * * * 7
8585 Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 608 is amended to read: 8
8686 § 608. FEES 9
8787 * * * 10
8888 (b) An additional fee of $4.00 per year shall be paid for a motorcycle or 11
8989 motor home endorsement. The endorsement may be obtained for either a two-12
9090 year or four-year period, to be coincidental with the length of the operator’s 13
9191 license. 14
9292 Sec. 5. 23 V.S.A. § 615 is amended to read: 15
9393 § 615. UNLICENSED OPERATORS 16
9494 (a)(1)(A) An unlicensed person 15 years of age or older may operate a 17
9595 motor vehicle if he or she the unlicensed person possesses a valid learner’s 18
9696 permit issued to him or her the unlicensed person by the Commissioner, or by 19
9797 another jurisdiction in accordance with section 208 of this title, and if one of 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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100100
101101 VT LEG #379378 v.1
102102 the following persons who is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs rides 1
103103 beside him or her the unlicensed person: 2
104104 * * * 3
105105 (3) A licensed person who does not possess a valid motor home 4
106106 endorsement may operate a motor home weighing at least 10,000 pounds and 5
107107 not more than 26,000 pounds, with no passengers, only during daylight hours 6
108108 and then only if the person has in their possession a valid motor home learner’s 7
109109 permit issued to the person by the Commissioner. 8
110110 * * * 9
111111 Sec. 6. 23 V.S.A. § 617 is amended to read: 10
112112 § 617. LEARNER’S PERMIT 11
113113 * * * 12
114114 (c)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, any 13
115115 licensed person may apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for a 14
116116 learner’s permit for the operation of a motor home weighing at least 10,000 15
117117 pounds and not more than 26,000 pounds in the form prescribed by the 16
118118 Commissioner. The Commissioner shall require payment of a fee of $24.00 at 17
119119 the time application is made. 18
120120 (2) After the applicant has successfully passed all parts of the applicable 19
121121 motor home endorsement examination, other than a skill test, the 20
122122 Commissioner may issue to the applicant a learner’s permit that entitles the 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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125125
126126 VT LEG #379378 v.1
127127 applicant, subject to subsection 615(a) of this title, to operate a motor home 1
128128 upon the public highways for a period of 120 days from the date of issuance. 2
129129 The fee for the examination shall be $11.00. 3
130130 (3) A motor home learner’s permit may be renewed only twice upon 4
131131 payment of a $24.00 fee. If, during the original permit period and two 5
132132 renewals the permittee has not successfully passed the applicable skill test or 6
133133 motor home operation training course, the permittee shall not obtain another 7
134134 motor home learner’s permit for a period of 12 months from the expiration of 8
135135 the permit unless the permittee has successfully completed the applicable 9
136136 motor home training course. 10
137137 (4) This section shall not affect section 602 of this title. 11
138138 (d) No learner’s permit may be issued to any person under 18 years of age 12
139139 unless the parent or guardian of, or a person standing in loco parentis to, the 13
140140 applicant files his or her the person’s written consent to the issuance with the 14
141141 Commissioner. 15
142142 (d)(e) An applicant shall pay $24.00 to the Commissioner for each learner’s 16
143143 permit or a duplicate or renewal thereof. 17
144144 (e)(f)(1) A learner’s permit, which is not a learner’s permit for the 18
145145 operation of a motorcycle or a motor home, shall contain a photograph or 19
146146 imaged likeness of the individual if the permit is obtained in person. The 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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148148
149149
150150 VT LEG #379378 v.1
151151 photographic learner’s permit shall be available at locations designated by the 1
152152 Commissioner. 2
153153 * * * 3
154154 (f)(g)(1) The Commissioner may authorize motorcycle rider training 4
155155 instructors to administer a motorcycle endorsement examination for three-5
156156 wheeled motorcycles only or for any motorcycle, or a motorcycle skill test for 6
157157 three-wheeled motorcycles only or for any motorcycle, or any of these. Upon 7
158158 successful completion of the applicable examination or test, the instructor shall 8
159159 issue to the applicant either a temporary motorcycle learner’s permit or notice 9
160160 of motorcycle endorsement, as appropriate. The instructor shall immediately 10
161161 forward to the Commissioner the application and fee together with such any 11
162162 additional information as required by the Commissioner may require. 12
163163 * * * 13
164164 Sec. 7. 23 V.S.A. chapter 9, subchapter 7 is added to read: 14
165165 Subchapter 7. Motor Home Operator Training Program 15
166166 § 741. DEFINITIONS 16
167167 As used in this subchapter: 17
168168 (1) “Chief instructor” means a licensed motor home operator who meets 18
169169 the standards established by the Department to qualify to train and oversee 19
170170 instructors for the motor home operator education program. 20
171171 (2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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174174
175175 VT LEG #379378 v.1
176176 (3) “Department” means the Department of Motor Vehicles. 1
177177 (4) “Motor home” means a motor home as defined in section 4 of this 2
178178 title that weighs at least 10,000 pounds and not more than 26,000 pounds. 3
179179 (5) “Operator training course” means a motor home operator education 4
180180 curriculum and delivery system approved by the Department as meeting 5
181181 standards designed to develop and instill the knowledge, attitudes, habits, and 6
182182 skills necessary for the safe operation of a motor home. 7
183183 (6) “Program coordinator” means the person designated by the 8
184184 Commissioner to plan, organize, and administer the Motor Home Operator 9
185185 Training Program as provided in subsection 742(b) of this subchapter. 10
186186 (7) “Training specialist” means the person designated by the 11
187187 Commissioner to fulfill the obligations stated in subsection 742(c) of this title. 12
188188 § 742. MOTOR HOME OPERATOR TRAINING PROGRAM 13
189189 (a) The Department shall establish standards for and shall administer the 14
190190 Motor Home Operator Training Program. The Program shall include operator 15
191191 training courses and instructor training. The Department may expand the 16
192192 Program to include public awareness, alcohol and drug effects, motor home 17
193193 operator improvement, licensing improvement, Program promotion, or other 18
194194 motor home safety programs. 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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198198 VT LEG #379378 v.1
199199 (b) The Commissioner shall appoint a Program coordinator who shall 1
200200 oversee and direct the Program by setting Program and funding guidelines, and 2
201201 conduct an annual evaluation. 3
202202 (c) The Commissioner shall also appoint one or more training specialists 4
203203 who shall assist in establishing motor home operator training courses 5
204204 throughout the State, support and implement Program and funding guidelines, 6
205205 and supervise instructors and other personnel as necessary. The training 7
206206 specialist may be a trained chief instructor. 8
207207 (d) An adequate number of motor home operator training courses shall be 9
208208 provided to meet the reasonably anticipated needs of all persons in the State 10
209209 who desire to participate in the Program. The Department shall issue 11
210210 certificates of completion in the manner and form prescribed by the 12
211211 Commissioner to persons who satisfactorily complete the requirements of the 13
212212 course. 14
213213 (e) The Department may enter into contracts with either public or private 15
214214 institutions or organizations for technical assistance in conducting motor home 16
215215 operator training courses, if the course is administered and taught according to 17
216216 standards for the Program established by the Department pursuant to this 18
217217 section. If necessary, an organization conducting a motor home operator 19
218218 training course shall charge a reasonable tuition fee that shall be determined by 20
219219 and paid to the Commissioner. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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223223 VT LEG #379378 v.1
224224 (f) The Commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to carry out the 1
225225 provisions of this subchapter and to implement the Motor Home Operator 2
226226 Training Program. 3
227227 (g) In establishing standards for the Motor Home Operator Training 4
228228 Program, the Department shall be guided by any existing national standards for 5
229229 such programs. 6
230230 (h) Any person, agency, institution, or organization offering motor home 7
231231 safety instruction under the auspices of this subchapter, with respect to such 8
232232 instruction activities, are exempt from the requirements of subchapter 4 of this 9
233233 chapter relating to driver training school licenses. 10
234234 § 743. INSTRUCTOR REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING 11
235235 (a) The Department shall establish standards for an approved motor home 12
236236 operator training instructor preparation course. Successful completion of the 13
237237 course shall require the participant to demonstrate knowledge of the course 14
238238 material, knowledge of safe motor home operating practices, motor home 15
239239 driving proficiency, and the necessary aptitude for instructing students. 16
240240 (b) The Commissioner shall establish minimum requirements for the 17
241241 qualifications of a motor home operator training instructor. The minimum 18
242242 requirements shall include the following: 19
243243 (1) The instructor shall have a high school diploma or its equivalent. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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247247 VT LEG #379378 v.1
248248 (2) The instructor shall be at least 21 years of age and must hold a valid 1
249249 operator’s license with a motor home endorsement or a valid commercial 2
250250 driver’s license. 3
251251 (3) The instructor’s license shall not have been suspended or revoked at 4
252252 any time during the preceding two years. 5
253253 (4) The instructor shall not have any convictions for driving under the 6
254254 influence of alcohol or drugs during the preceding five years. 7
255255 (5) If the instructor is licensed in another state, the instructor shall 8
256256 furnish certified copies of the instructor’s driving records to the Department for 9
257257 the preceding five years, or the maximum number of years less than five for 10
258258 which the applicable state retains driving records. 11
259259 (c) Temporary, seasonal employees of the Department of Motor Vehicles 12
260260 hired to provide motor home safety instruction, as well as any assistant 13
261261 instructors or range aides hired on a temporary, seasonal basis to provide or 14
262262 assist in the provision of motor home safety instruction, shall be exempt from 15
263263 the classified service established pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 13. 16
264264 § 744. IMPLEMENTATION 17
265265 (a) Beginning on July 1, 2026, all applicants for a motor home learner’s 18
266266 permit or a motor home endorsement shall successfully complete the motor 19
267267 home training course established under this subchapter before taking the skills 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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271271 VT LEG #379378 v.1
272272 test required to obtain a motor home endorsement, unless the applicant is 1
273273 exempt pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 2
274274 (b) The following applicants for a motor home learner’s permit or a motor 3
275275 home endorsement shall be exempt from the requirements of subsection (a) of 4
276276 this section: 5
277277 (1) a renewal applicant; 6
278278 (2) an applicant who surrenders a valid commercial driver’s license 7
279279 from this State or any other state; and 8
280280 (3) an applicant who, as determined by the Commissioner, has 9
281281 successfully completed an equivalent training course in another state or 10
282282 province. 11
283283 Sec. 8. 23 V.S.A. § 4103 is amended to read: 12
284284 § 4103. DEFINITIONS 13
285285 As used in this chapter: 14
286286 * * * 15
287287 (4)(A) “Commercial motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle designed or 16
288288 used to transport passengers or property that: 17
289289 (i) has either a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight 18
290290 of at least 26,001 or more pounds or such a lesser rating as determined by 19
291291 federal regulation; 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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295295 VT LEG #379378 v.1
296296 (ii) is designed to transport more than 15 passengers, including the 1
297297 driver; or 2
298298 (iii) is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be 3
299299 placarded in accordance with 49 C.F.R. Part 172, subpart F; or 4
300300 (iv) is a motor home as defined in 32 V.S.A. § 8902(11) that 5
301301 weighs at least 26,001 pounds; a vehicle towing a trailer coach with a 6
302302 combined gross vehicle weight rating of at least 26,001 pounds, or a vehicle 7
303303 towing a trailer coach with a combined gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8
304304 26,001 pounds where the gross vehicle weight rating of the trailer coach is 9
305305 more than 10,000 pounds. 10
306306 (B) “Commercial motor vehicle” shall not include: 11
307307 * * * 12
308308 (ii) motor homes as defined in 32 V.S.A. § 8902(11) and trailer 13
309309 coaches as defined in subdivision 4(41) of this title; however, this exemption 14
310310 shall only apply to vehicles used strictly for recreational, noncommercial 15
311311 purposes; [Repealed.] 16
312312 * * * 17
313313 Sec. 9. 23 V.S.A. § 4111 is amended to read: 18
314314 § 4111. COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE 19
315315 * * * 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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319319 VT LEG #379378 v.1
320320 (b) Classifications, endorsements, and restrictions. Driver’s licenses may 1
321321 be issued with the following classifications, endorsements, and restrictions: 2
322322 (1) Licensees may drive all vehicles in the class for which the license is 3
323323 issued and all lesser classes of vehicles, except those requiring special 4
324324 endorsements. 5
325325 * * * 6
326326 (E) Class R―Any motor home with a gross vehicle weight rating of 7
327327 26,001 pounds or more or any vehicle towing a trailer coach with a combined 8
328328 gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. 9
329329 (F) Class TR―Any vehicle towing a trailer coach with a combined 10
330330 gross vehicle weight rating of 26,000 pounds or less where the gross vehicle 11
331331 weight rating of the trailer coach is more than 10,000 pounds. 12
332332 * * * 13
333333 Sec. 10. IMPLEMENTATION; ADOPTION OF RULES ; OUTREACH 14
334334 (a)(1) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, not later than July 1, 15
335335 2026, implement and make available the Motor Home Operator Training 16
336336 Program established pursuant to Sec. 7 of this act. 17
337337 (2) The Commissioner shall ensure that the Program can be operated 18
338338 effectively and that there are adequate training vehicles, instructors, curriculum 19
339339 materials, and training sites to provide the training throughout the State to all 20
340340 those individuals who desire or would be required to complete the course. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.284
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344344 VT LEG #379378 v.1
345345 (b) The Commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the 1
346346 provisions of Secs. 2 through 9 of this act. The rules adopted pursuant to this 2
347347 subsection shall take effect not later than July 1, 2026. 3
348348 (c) The Commissioner shall, not later than April 1, 2026, make available 4
349349 outreach and education materials to inform drivers of the requirements of Secs. 5
350350 2 through 9 of this act. 6
351351 * * * Effective Dates * * * 7
352352 Sec. 11. EFFECTIVE DATES 8
353353 (a) This section and Secs. 1 and 10 shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 9
354354 (b) Secs. 2 through 9 shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 10