Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0351 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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6	6	H.351 1
7	7	Introduced by Representative Headrick of Burlington 2
8	8	Referred to Committee on 3
9	9	Date: 4
10	10	Subject: Motor vehicles; operator’s licenses; operator’s privilege cards; 5
11	11	nondriver identification cards 6
12	12	Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to make 7
13	13	operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver identification cards valid for 8
14	14	eight years; to provide individuals with low income reduced fees for operator’s 9
15	15	licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver identification cards; to require the 10
16	16	Department of Motor Vehicles to develop a plan to ensure that identification 11
17	17	cards contain an individual’s full, legal name and are available to unhoused 12
18	18	individuals and individuals without a permanent residence; and to require the 13
19	19	Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct outreach to make Vermonters aware 14
20	20	of certain information related to obtaining an operator’s license, privilege card, 15
21	21	or nondriver identification card. 16
22	22	An act relating to operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver 17
23	23	identification cards 18
24	24	It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 19
25	25	Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 601 is amended to read: 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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30	30	§ 601. LICENSE REQUIRED 1
31	31	* * * 2
32	32	(b)(1)(A) All operator’s licenses issued under this chapter shall expire, 3
33	33	unless earlier cancelled, at midnight on the eve of the second or fourth 4
34	34	anniversary of the date of birth of the license holder following eight years after 5
35	35	the date of issue. Renewed licenses shall expire at midnight on the eve of the 6
36	36	second or fourth anniversary of the date of birth of the license holder following 7
37	37	the date the renewed license expired eight years after the date the renewed 8
38	38	license is issued. 9
39	39	(B) On or before July 1, 2029, an individual holding an operator’s 10
40	40	licenses that is valid until the individual’s second or fourth date of birth 11
41	41	following the date of issue may exchange that license for an operator’s license 12
42	42	that will expire at midnight eight years after the date on which the original 13
43	43	license was issued. The fee for an operator’s license obtained pursuant to an 14
44	44	exchange under the provisions of this subdivision (1) shall be $85.00 if a two-15
45	45	year operator’s license was exchanged and $62.00 if a four-year operator’s 16
46	46	license was exchanged. 17
47	47	(2) All junior operator’s licenses shall expire, unless earlier cancelled, at 18
48	48	midnight on the eve of the second anniversary of the date of birth of the license 19
49	49	holder following the date of issue. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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54	54	(3) A person born on February 29 shall, for the purposes of this section, 1
55	55	be considered as born on March 1. 2
56	56	* * * 3
57	57	Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 603 is amended to read: 4
58	58	§ 603. APPLICATION FOR AND ISSUANCE OF LICENSE 5
59	59	(a)(1) The Commissioner or his or her the Commissioner’s authorized 6
60	60	agent may license operators and junior operators when an application, on a 7
61	61	form prescribed by the Commissioner, signed and sworn to by the applicant for 8
62	62	the license, is filed with him or her the Commissioner, accompanied by the 9
63	63	required license fee and any valid license from another state or Canadian 10
64	64	jurisdiction is surrendered. 11
65	65	(2) The Commissioner may, however, in his or her the Commissioner’s 12
66	66	discretion, refuse to issue a license to any person whenever he or she the 13
67	67	Commissioner is satisfied from information given him or her the 14
68	68	Commissioner by credible persons, and upon investigation, that the person is 15
69	69	mentally or physically unfit or, because of his or her the person’s habits or 16
70	70	record as to crashes or convictions, is unsafe to be trusted with the operation of 17
71	71	motor vehicles. A person refused a license under the provisions of this 18
72	72	subsection shall be entitled to hearing as provided in sections 105–107 of this 19
73	73	title. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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78	78	(3) Any new or renewal application form shall include a space for the 1
79	79	applicant to request that a “veteran” designation be placed on his or her the 2
80	80	applicant’s license certificate. An applicant who requests the designation shall 3
81	81	provide a Department of Defense Form 214 or other proof of veteran status 4
82	82	specified by the Commissioner. 5
83	83	* * * 6
84	84	(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section: 7
85	85	(1) A citizen of a foreign country shall produce his or her the 8
86	86	individual’s passport and visa, alien registration receipt card (green card), or 9
87	87	other proof of legal presence for inspection and copying as a part of the 10
88	88	application process for an operator’s license, junior operator’s license, or 11
89	89	learner’s permit. 12
90	90	(2) An operator’s license, junior operator’s license, or learner’s permit 13
91	91	issued to a citizen of a foreign country shall expire coincidentally with his or 14
92	92	her the individual’s authorized duration of stay. 15
93	93	(e)(1) A citizen of a foreign country unable to establish legal presence in 16
94	94	the United States who furnishes reliable proof of Vermont residence and of 17
95	95	name, date of birth, and place of birth, and who satisfies all other requirements 18
96	96	of this chapter for obtaining a license or permit, shall be eligible to obtain an 19
97	97	operator’s privilege card, a junior operator’s privilege card, or a learner’s 20
98	98	privilege card. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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103	103	(2) The Commissioner shall require applicants under this subsection to 1
104	104	furnish a document or a combination of documents that reliably proves the 2
105	105	applicant’s name, date of birth, and place of birth. The Commissioner may 3
106	106	prescribe the documents or combination of documents that meets these criteria. 4
107	107	However, the Commissioner shall accept a combination of two or more of the 5
108	108	following documents to establish the name, date of birth, and place of birth of 6
109	109	an applicant: 7
110	110	(A) a valid foreign passport, with or without a U.S. Customs and 8
111	111	Border Protection entry form or stamp; 9
112	112	(B) a valid consular identification document issued by the 10
113	113	government of Mexico or of Guatemala or by any other government with 11
114	114	comparable security standards and protocols, as determined by the 12
115	115	Commissioner; and 13
116	116	(C) a certified record of the applicant’s birth, marriage, adoption, or 14
117	117	divorce, including a translation if necessary. 15
118	118	(3) The Commissioner shall require applicants under this subsection to 16
119	119	furnish a document or a combination of documents that reliably proves the 17
120	120	applicant’s Vermont residence. The Commissioner may prescribe the 18
121	121	documents or combination of documents that meets these criteria. However, 19
122	122	the Commissioner shall accept the following combinations of documents as 20
123	123	proof of Vermont residence: 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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128	128	(A)(i) two pieces of mail received by the applicant within the prior 1
129	129	30 days with the applicant’s current name and residential Vermont address; 2
130	130	and 3
131	131	(ii) at least one of the documents specified in subdivision (B) of 4
132	132	this subdivision (3); or 5
133	133	(B) two of the following that show name and residential Vermont 6
134	134	address: 7
135	135	(i) a vehicle title or registration; 8
136	136	(ii) a document issued by a financial institution, such as a bank 9
137	137	statement; 10
138	138	(iii) a document issued by an insurance company or agent, such as 11
139	139	an insurance card, binder, or bill; 12
140	140	(iv) a document issued by an educational institution, such as a 13
141	141	transcript, report card, or enrollment confirmation; 14
142	142	(v) federal tax documents, such as W-2 or 1099 forms; 15
143	143	(vi) State tax documents, such as an IN-111; and 16
144	144	(vii) medical health records, receipts, or bills. 17
145	145	(f) Persons able to establish lawful presence in the United States but who 18
146	146	otherwise fail to comply with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005, 19
147	147	Pub. L. No. 109-13, §§ 201–202, shall be eligible for an operator’s privilege 20
148	148	card, a junior operator’s privilege card, or a learner’s privilege card, provided 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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153	153	the applicant furnishes reliable proof of Vermont residence and of name, date 1
154	154	of birth, and place of birth, and satisfies all other requirements of this chapter 2
155	155	for obtaining a license or permit. The Commissioner shall require applicants 3
156	156	under this subsection to furnish a document or a combination of documents 4
157	157	that reliably proves the applicant’s Vermont residence and his or her the 5
158	158	applicant’s name, date of birth, and place of birth. 6
159	159	* * * 7
160	160	(h) A privilege card issued under this section shall: 8
161	161	(1) on its face bear the phrase “privilege card” and text indicating that it 9
162	162	is not valid for federal identification or official purposes; and 10
163	163	(2) expire at midnight on the eve of the second birthday of the applicant 11
164	164	following eight years after the date of issuance or, at the option of an applicant 12
165	165	for an operator’s privilege card and upon payment of the required four-year 13
166	166	fee, at midnight on the eve of the fourth birthday of the applicant following the 14
167	167	date of issuance. 15
168	168	* * * 16
169	169	(j) On or before July 1, 2029, an individual holding a privilege card under 17
170	170	this section that is valid until the individual’s second or fourth date of birth 18
171	171	following the date of issue may exchange that license for a privilege card that 19
172	172	will expire at midnight eight years after the date on which the privilege card 20
173	173	was issued. The fee for a privilege card obtained pursuant to an exchange 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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178	178	under the provisions of this subsection shall be $85.00 if a two-year privilege 1
179	179	card was exchanged and $62.00 if a four-year privilege card was exchanged. 2
180	180	Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 608 is amended to read: 3
181	181	§ 608. FEES 4
182	182	(a)(1) The four-year fee required to be paid the Commissioner for licensing 5
183	183	an operator of motor vehicles or for issuing an operator’s privilege card shall 6
184	184	be $62.00. The two-year fee required to be paid the Commissioner for 7
185	185	licensing an operator or for issuing an operator’s privilege card shall be $39.00 8
186	186	The eight-year fee required to be paid the Commissioner for licensing an 9
187	187	operator of motor vehicles or for issuing an operator’s privilege card shall be 10
188	188	$124.00, and the two-year fee for licensing a junior operator or for issuing a 11
189	189	junior operator’s privilege card shall be $39.00. 12
190	190	(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection: 13
191	191	(A) for an individual whose household income is less than 150 14
192	192	percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the eight-year fee required to be paid the 15
193	193	Commissioner for licensing an operator of motor vehicles or for issuing an 16
194	194	operator’s privilege card shall be $0.00; and 17
195	195	(B) for an individual whose household income is less than 200 18
196	196	percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the eight-year fee required to be paid the 19
197	197	Commissioner for licensing an operator of motor vehicles or for issuing an 20
198	198	operator’s privilege card shall be $62.00. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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203	203	(b)(1) An additional fee of $4.00 per year shall be paid for a motorcycle 1
204	204	endorsement. The endorsement may be obtained for either a two-year or four-2
205	205	year an eight-year period, to be coincidental with the length of the operator’s 3
206	206	license. 4
207	207	(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection: 5
208	208	(A) for an individual whose household income is less than 150 6
209	209	percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the additional fee for a motorcycle 7
210	210	endorsement shall be $0.00 per year; and 8
211	211	(B) for an individual whose household income is less than 200 9
212	212	percent of the Federal Poverty Level, the additional fee for a motorcycle 10
213	213	endorsement shall be $2.00 per year. 11
214	214	Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 115 is amended to read: 12
215	215	§ 115. NONDRIVER IDENTIFICATION CARDS 13
216	216	* * * 14
217	217	(b)(1) Every identification card shall expire, unless earlier canceled, at 15
218	218	12:00 midnight on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the date of birth of the 16
219	219	cardholder following eight years after the date of original issue and may be 17
220	220	renewed every four eight years upon payment of a $29.00 fee. 18
221	221	(2) A renewed identification card shall expire, unless earlier canceled, at 19
222	222	12:00 midnight on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the date of birth of the 20
223	223	cardholder following eight years after the expiration of the card being renewed. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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228	228	(3) At least 30 days before an identification card will expire, the 1
229	229	Commissioner shall mail first-class to the cardholder or send the cardholder 2
230	230	electronically an application to renew the identification card; a cardholder shall 3
231	231	be sent the renewal notice by mail unless the cardholder opts in to receive 4
232	232	electronic notification. 5
233	233	(4) On or before July 1, 2029, an individual holding an identification 6
234	234	card that is valid until the individual’s fourth date of birth following the date of 7
235	235	issue may exchange that identification card for an identification card that will 8
236	236	expire eight years after the date on which the original identification card was 9
237	237	issued. The shall be no fee to exchange a four-year identification card for an 10
238	238	eight-year identification card pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision. 11
239	239	(5) An individual born on February 29 shall, for the purposes of this 12
240	240	section, be considered as born on March 1. 13
241	241	* * * 14
242	242	(l)(1) The Commissioner shall issue identification cards to Vermont 15
243	243	residents who are not U.S. citizens but are able to establish lawful presence in 16
244	244	the United States if an applicant follows the procedures and furnishes 17
245	245	documents as required under subsection 603(d) of this title and any applicable 18
246	246	policies or adopted rules, and otherwise satisfies the requirements of this 19
247	247	section. The identification cards shall expire consistent with subsection 603(d) 20
248	248	of this title. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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253	253	(2) The Commissioner shall issue non-REAL ID compliant 1
254	254	identification cards to Vermont residents unable to establish lawful presence in 2
255	255	the United States if an applicant follows the procedures and furnishes 3
256	256	documents as required under subsection 603(e) of this title and any applicable 4
257	257	policies or adopted rules, and otherwise satisfies the requirements of this 5
258	258	section. 6
259	259	(3) The Commissioner shall issue non-REAL ID compliant 7
260	260	identification cards to Vermont residents able to establish lawful presence in 8
261	261	the United States but who otherwise fail to comply with the requirements of 9
262	262	the REAL ID Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-13, §§ 201–202, if the applicant 10
263	263	follows the procedures and furnishes documents as required under subsection 11
264	264	603(f) of this title and any applicable policies or adopted rules, and otherwise 12
265	265	satisfies the requirements of this section. 13
266	266	(4) A non-REAL ID compliant identification card issued under 14
267	267	subdivision (2) or (3) of this subsection shall bear on its face text indicating 15
268	268	that it is not valid for federal identification or official purposes. 16
269	269	* * * 17
270	270	Sec. 5. INTENT; REPORT 18
271	271	(a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that: 19
272	272	(1) individuals be able to obtain an operator’s license, privilege card, or 20
273	273	nondriver identification that accurately reflects the individual’s full, legal 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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276	276
277	277	VT LEG #380662 v.1
278	278	name, including individuals with multiple first or last names, or whose names 1
279	279	contain special characters; and 2
280	280	(2) unhoused individuals and individuals without a permanent residence 3
281	281	be able to obtain an operator’s license, privilege card, or nondriver 4
282	282	identification. 5
283	283	(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall, on or before December 31, 6
284	284	2025, report to the House and Senate Committees on Transportation regarding: 7
285	285	(1) the Department’s ability to issue operator’s licenses, privilege cards, 8
286	286	and nondriver identification cards that accurately reflects the holder’s full, 9
287	287	legal name; 10
288	288	(2) any technological, practical, or legal impediments that prevent the 11
289	289	Department from issuing operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver 12
290	290	identification cards that accurately reflect the holder’s full, legal name; 13
291	291	(3) any measures necessary to address the impediments identified 14
292	292	pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection; 15
293	293	(4) legal and practical issues that prevent or limit the Department’s 16
294	294	ability to issue operator’s licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver 17
295	295	identifications to individuals who are unhoused or who lack a permanent 18
296	296	residence; 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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301	301	(5) a proposed process to enable the Department to issue operator’s 1
302	302	licenses, privilege cards, and nondriver identifications to individuals who are 2
303	303	unhoused or who lack a permanent residence; and 3
304	304	(6) any legislative action necessary to implement the process described 4
305	305	pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection. 5
306	306	Sec. 6. OUTREACH 6
307	307	(a) On or before November 15, 2025, the Department of Motor Vehicles 7
308	308	shall develop and implement a public education and outreach campaign to 8
309	309	inform Vermont residents about: 9
310	310	(1) an individual’s rights to obtain an operator’s license, privilege card, 10
311	311	or nondriver identification card; 11
312	312	(2) the ability to obtain an operator’s license, privilege card, or 12
313	313	nondriver identification card that expires eight years after the date of issue; 13
314	314	(3) an individual’s rights to self-attest with respect to the gender marker 14
315	315	on the individual’s operator’s license, privilege card, or nondriver 15
316	316	identification card; and 16
317	317	(4) reduced fees and fee waivers that are available to households that 17
318	318	meet certain income thresholds. 18
319	319	(b) The education and outreach campaign shall include printed materials 19
320	320	and public service announcements on television, radio, internet, and social 20
321	321	media. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.351
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326	326	(c) Public service announcements created for the education and outreach 1
327	327	campaign shall be in both English and Spanish. Printed materials created for 2
328	328	the education and outreach campaign shall be in English, Spanish, and the next 3
329	329	eight most commonly spoken languages in Vermont. 4
330	330	Sec. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE 5
331	331	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 6