PRINTER'S NO. 2838

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2205 Session of 1982


        INTRODUCED BY VROON, DININNI, E. H. SMITH, CORNELL AND PITTS,
           FEBRUARY 1, 1982

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 1, 1982

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
     2     Statutes, further providing for the expiration and renewal of
     3     drivers' licenses and learners' permits.

     4     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     5  hereby enacts as follows:
     6     Section 1.  Section 1514 of Title 75, act of November 25,
     7  1970 (P.L.707, No.230), known as the Pennsylvania Consolidated
     8  Statutes is amended to read:
     9  § 1514.  Expiration and renewal of drivers' licenses.
    10     (a)  General rule.--Every driver's license shall expire in
    11  the month of the licensee's birthdate at intervals of not more
    12  than four years as may be determined by the department. Every
    13  license shall be renewable on or before its expiration upon
    14  application, payment of the required fee, and satisfactory
    15  completion of any examination required or authorized by this
    16  chapter.
    17     (b)  Examination of applicants for renewal.--The department
    18  may require persons applying for renewal of a driver's license

     1  to take and successfully pass [a physical examination or a
     2  vision examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, or both
     3  examinations,] one or more of the examinations and tests
     4  authorized under this subchapter if the department has reason to
     5  believe, either based on knowledge of the person or on
     6  statistical inference, that the person may be a traffic safety
     7  hazard. [The department may require the applicant to take and
     8  successfully pass such additional tests as the department may
     9  find reasonably necessary to determine the applicant's
    10  qualification according to the type or general class of license
    11  applied for and such examination may include any or all of the
    12  other tests required or authorized upon original application by
    13  section 1508 (relating to examination of applicant for driver's
    14  license).]
    15         (1)  A vision examination may be administered by an
    16     optometrist or an ophthalmologist or may be administered at
    17     an official examination station.
    18         (2)  Upon refusal or neglect of the person to submit to
    19     [the] any examination, the [driver's license shall not be
    20     renewed] operating privilege shall be suspended until such
    21     time as the examination is successfully completed.
    22         (3)  For the purposes of this section, renewal shall
    23     include application for a driver's license after a lapse of
    24     not more than four years.
    25     (c)  Reexamination requested by court.--The department shall
    26  reexamine any person when requested to do so by a court. Upon
    27  the conclusion of such examination, the department may take any
    28  of the actions described in subsection (b) and shall report its
    29  findings and action to the court if such report is requested.
    30     (d)  Military personnel and dependents.--Notwithstanding
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     1  subsection (a), a driver's license held by any person who enters
     2  or is on active service in the armed forces of the United States
     3  or the spouse or dependent child of the member of the armed
     4  forces who resides with such person shall continue in full force
     5  and effect so long as the active service continues and the
     6  person is absent from this Commonwealth, and for a further
     7  period of 45 days following the date of the person's discharge
     8  or separation from active service or return to this
     9  Commonwealth, unless the driver's license is sooner suspended,
    10  cancelled or revoked for cause according to law. A driver's
    11  license which otherwise would have expired under subsection (a)
    12  shall be valid only if the licensee has in immediate possession,
    13  together with the driver's license, papers indicating actual
    14  service outside this Commonwealth, or discharge or separation,
    15  as the case may be, or proof thereof if a spouse or child.
    16     (e)  Learner's permit upon examination failure.--Any driver
    17  or applicant who fails any driving examination required or
    18  authorized under subsection (b) or (c) may be issued a special
    19  learner's permit authorizing that person to drive only a motor
    20  vehicle equipped with dual operating controls or devices while
    21  being accompanied by an instructor of an approved driver
    22  training program. Upon successful completion of an approved
    23  driver training program, the driver or applicant shall be
    24  afforded a special examination by such agencies as the
    25  department may direct and upon successful completion of the
    26  examination the operating privilege shall be restored.
    27     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.


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