SENATE BILL No. 400

 

 

April 24, 2003, Introduced by Senator EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan vehicle code,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending sections 312e, 312h, and 811 (MCL 257.312e, 257.312h,           

                                                                                

    and 257.811), section 312e as amended by 2002 PA 652,                       

                                                                                

    section 312h as amended by 1989 PA 299, and section 811 as                  

                                                                                

    amended by 2000 PA 456.                                                     

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 312e.  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this                        

                                                                                

2   section, a person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle,             

                                                                                

3   shall obtain the required vehicle group designation as follows:             

                                                                                

4       (a) A person, before operating a combination of vehicles with               

                                                                                

5   a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more                  

                                                                                

6   including a towed vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of             

                                                                                

7   more than 10,000 pounds, shall procure a group A vehicle                    

                                                                                

8   designation on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license.                

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   Unless an indorsement or the removal of restrictions is required,           

                                                                                

2   a person licensed to operate a group A vehicle may operate a                

                                                                                

3   group B or C vehicle without taking another test.                           

                                                                                

4       (b) A person, before operating a vehicle having a gross                     

                                                                                

5   vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, shall procure a             

                                                                                

6   group B vehicle designation on his or her operator's or                     

                                                                                

7   chauffeur's license.  Unless an indorsement or the removal of               

                                                                                

8   restrictions is required, a person licensed to operate a group B            

                                                                                

9   vehicle may operate a group C vehicle without taking another                

                                                                                

10  test.                                                                       

                                                                                

11      (c) A person, before operating a single vehicle having a                    

                                                                                

12  gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds or a vehicle                

                                                                                

13  having a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds towing a           

                                                                                

14  trailer or other vehicle and carrying hazardous materials on                

                                                                                

15  which a placard is required under 49 C.F.R. parts 100 to 199, or            

                                                                                

16  designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver,           

                                                                                

17  shall procure a group C vehicle designation and a hazardous                 

                                                                                

18  material or passenger vehicle indorsement on his or her                     

                                                                                

19  operator's or chauffeur's license.                                          

                                                                                

20      (2) An applicant for a vehicle group designation shall take                 

                                                                                

21  knowledge and driving skills tests that comply with minimum                 

                                                                                

22  federal standards prescribed in 49 C.F.R. part 383 as required              

                                                                                

23  under this act.                                                             

                                                                                

24      (3) The license shall be issued, suspended, revoked,                        

                                                                                

25  canceled, or renewed in accordance with this act.                           

                                                                                

26      (4) Except as provided in this subsection, all of the                       

                                                                                

27  following apply:                                                            


                                                                                

1       (a) If a person operates a group B passenger vehicle while                  

                                                                                

2   taking his or her driving skills test for a P indorsement, he or            

                                                                                

3   she is restricted to operating only group B or C passenger                  

                                                                                

4   vehicles under that P indorsement.                                          

                                                                                

5       (b) If a person operates a group C passenger vehicle while                  

                                                                                

6   taking his or her driving skills test for a P indorsement, he or            

                                                                                

7   she is restricted to operating only group C passenger vehicles              

                                                                                

8   under that P indorsement.                                                   

                                                                                

9       (c) A person who fails the air brake portion of the written                 

                                                                                

10  or driving skills test provided under section 312f or who takes             

                                                                                

11  the driving skills test provided under that section in a                    

                                                                                

12  commercial motor vehicle that is not equipped with air brakes               

                                                                                

13  shall not operate a commercial motor vehicle equipped with air              

                                                                                

14  brakes.                                                                     

                                                                                

15      (5) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle,                  

                                                                                

16  shall obtain required vehicle indorsements as follows:                      

                                                                                

17      (a) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle                   

                                                                                

18  pulling double trailers, shall procure the appropriate vehicle              

                                                                                

19  group designation and a T vehicle indorsement under this act.               

                                                                                

20      (b) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle                   

                                                                                

21  that is a tank vehicle, shall procure the appropriate vehicle               

                                                                                

22  group designation and an N vehicle indorsement under this act.              

                                                                                

23      (c) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle                   

                                                                                

24  carrying hazardous materials on which a placard is required under           

                                                                                

25  49 C.F.R. parts 100 to 199, shall procure the appropriate vehicle           

                                                                                

26  group designation and an H vehicle indorsement under this act.              

                                                                                

27      (d) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle                   


                                                                                

1   that is a tank vehicle carrying hazardous material, shall procure           

                                                                                

2   the appropriate vehicle group designation and both an N and H               

                                                                                

3   vehicle indorsement, which shall be designated by the code letter           

                                                                                

4   X on the person's operator's or chauffeur's license.                        

                                                                                

5       (e) A person, before operating a vehicle designed to                        

                                                                                

6   transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, shall                 

                                                                                

7   procure the appropriate vehicle group designation and a P vehicle           

                                                                                

8   indorsement under this act.  An applicant for a P vehicle                   

                                                                                

9   indorsement shall take the driving skills test in a vehicle                 

                                                                                

10  designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the                   

                                                                                

11  driver.                                                                     

                                                                                

12      (6) An applicant for an indorsement shall take the knowledge                

                                                                                

13  and driving skills tests described and required pursuant to                 

                                                                                

14  49 C.F.R. part 383.                                                         

                                                                                

15      (7) The holder of an unexpired operator's or chauffeur's                    

                                                                                

16  license may be issued a vehicle group designation and indorsement           

                                                                                

17  valid for the remainder of the license upon meeting the                     

                                                                                

18  qualifications of section 312f and payment of the original                  

                                                                                

19  vehicle group designation fee of  $20.00  $35.00 and an                     

                                                                                

20  indorsement fee of $5.00 per indorsement, and a corrected license           

                                                                                

21  fee of $6.00.  A person required to procure an F vehicle                    

                                                                                

22  indorsement pursuant to subsection (9) shall pay an indorsement             

                                                                                

23  fee of $5.00.                                                               

                                                                                

24      (8) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (9) and (10),               

                                                                                

25  this section does not apply to a driver or operator of a vehicle            

                                                                                

26  under all of the following conditions:                                      

                                                                                

27      (a) The vehicle is controlled and operated by a farmer or an                


                                                                                

1   employee or family member of the farmer.                                    

                                                                                

2       (b) The vehicle is used to transport agricultural products,                 

                                                                                

3   farm machinery, farm supplies, or a combination of these items,             

                                                                                

4   to or from a farm.                                                          

                                                                                

5       (c) The vehicle is not used in the operation of a common or                 

                                                                                

6   contract motor carrier.                                                     

                                                                                

7       (d) The vehicle is operated within 150 miles of the farm.                   

                                                                                

8       (9) A person, before driving or operating a combination of                  

                                                                                

9   vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or           

                                                                                

10  more on the power unit that is used as described in subsection              

                                                                                

11  (8)(a) to (d), shall obtain an F vehicle indorsement.  The F                

                                                                                

12  vehicle indorsement shall be issued upon successful completion of           

                                                                                

13  a knowledge test only.                                                      

                                                                                

14      (10) A person, before driving or operating a single vehicle                 

                                                                                

15  truck having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or              

                                                                                

16  more or a combination of vehicles having a gross vehicle weight             

                                                                                

17  rating of 26,001 pounds or more on the power unit that is used as           

                                                                                

18  described in subsection (8)(a) to (d) for carrying hazardous                

                                                                                

19  materials on which a placard is required under 49 C.F.R.  parts             

                                                                                

20  100 to 199, shall successfully complete both a knowledge test and           

                                                                                

21  a driving skills test.  Upon successful completion of the                   

                                                                                

22  knowledge test and driving skills test, the person shall be                 

                                                                                

23  issued the appropriate vehicle group designation and any vehicle            

                                                                                

24  indorsement necessary under this act.                                       

                                                                                

25      (11) This section does not apply to a police officer                        

                                                                                

26  operating an authorized emergency vehicle or to a firefighter               

                                                                                

27  operating an authorized emergency vehicle who has met the driver            


                                                                                

1   training standards of the Michigan fire fighters' training                  

                                                                                

2   council.                                                                    

                                                                                

3       (12) This section does not apply to a person operating a                    

                                                                                

4   motor home or a vehicle used exclusively to transport personal              

                                                                                

5   possessions or family members for nonbusiness purposes.                     

                                                                                

6       (13) The money received and collected under subsection (7)                  

                                                                                

7   for a vehicle group designation or indorsement shall be deposited           

                                                                                

8   in the state treasury to the credit of the general fund.  The               

                                                                                

9   secretary of state shall refund out of the fees collected to each           

                                                                                

10  county or municipality acting as an examining officer or                    

                                                                                

11  examining bureau $3.00 for each applicant examined for a first              

                                                                                

12  designation or indorsement to an operator's or chauffeur's                  

                                                                                

13  license and $1.50 for each renewal designation or indorsement to            

                                                                                

14  an operator's or chauffeur's license, whose application is not              

                                                                                

15  denied, on the condition that the money refunded shall be paid to           

                                                                                

16  the county or local treasurer and is appropriated to the county,            

                                                                                

17  municipality, or officer or bureau receiving that money for the             

                                                                                

18  purpose of carrying out this act.                                           

                                                                                

19      (14) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a                 

                                                                                

20  person operating a vehicle described in subsections (8) and (9)             

                                                                                

21  is subject to the provisions of sections 303 and 319b.                      

                                                                                

22      Sec. 312h.  (1) A person who is issued an original                          

                                                                                

23  chauffeur's license as described in section 314(3), upon payment            

                                                                                

24  of a fee of  $20.00  $35.00 for a vehicle group designation and             

                                                                                

25  $5.00 for each indorsement in addition to any other chauffeur's             

                                                                                

26  license fees and compliance with section 312f, may be issued a              

                                                                                

27  vehicle group designation and indorsement for the same period.              


                                                                                

1       (2) The money received and collected under this section shall               

                                                                                

2   be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general             

                                                                                

3   fund.  The secretary of state shall refund out of the fees                  

                                                                                

4   collected to each county or municipality acting as an examining             

                                                                                

5   officer or examining bureau, $2.00 for each applicant examined              

                                                                                

6   for a vehicle group designation or indorsement to a first                   

                                                                                

7   chauffeur's license whose application is not denied, on the                 

                                                                                

8   condition, however, that the money refunded shall be paid to the            

                                                                                

9   county or local treasurer and is appropriated to the county,                

                                                                                

10  municipality, or officer or bureau receiving that money for the             

                                                                                

11  purpose of carrying out this act.                                           

                                                                                

12      Sec. 811.  (1) An application for an operator's or                          

                                                                                

13  chauffeur's license as provided in sections 307 and 312 and an              

                                                                                

14  application for a minor's restricted license as provided in                 

                                                                                

15  section 312 shall be accompanied by the following fees:                     

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

16       Operator's license.......................... $  12.00  24.00           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

17       Chauffeur's license.........................    20.00  34.00           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

18       Minor's restricted license..........................    5.00           

                                                                                

19      (2) The secretary of state shall deposit the money received                 

                                                                                

20  and collected under subsection (1) in the state treasury to the             

                                                                                

21  credit of the general fund.  The secretary of state shall refund            

                                                                                

22  out of the fees collected to each county or municipality acting             

                                                                                

23  as an examining officer or examining bureau $2.50 for each                  

                                                                                

24  applicant examined for an original license, $1.00 for each                  


                                                                                

1   applicant examined for an original chauffeur's license, and $1.00           

                                                                                

2   for every other applicant examined, if the application is not               

                                                                                

3   denied and the money refunded is paid to the county or local                

                                                                                

4   treasurer and is appropriated to the county, municipality, or               

                                                                                

5   officer or bureau receiving the money for the purpose of carrying           

                                                                                

6   out this act.  The state treasurer shall deposit the sum of $4.00           

                                                                                

7   in a driver education fund for each person examined for an                  

                                                                                

8   original license, a renewal operator's license, an original                 

                                                                                

9   chauffeur's license, or a renewal chauffeur's license, except               

                                                                                

10  that the sum deposited for each 2-year operator's or 2-year                 

                                                                                

11  chauffeur's license shall be $2.00.  The department of education            

                                                                                

12  shall use the money in the driver education fund for                        

                                                                                

13  administration of a driver education program and for distribution           

                                                                                

14  to local school districts to be used for driver education                   

                                                                                

15  programs.  Any unexpended and unencumbered balance remaining in             

                                                                                

16  the driver education fund at the end of the fiscal year in excess           

                                                                                

17  of $150,000.00 shall revert to the general fund.                            

                                                                                

18      (3) From the money credited to the driver education fund, the               

                                                                                

19  legislature shall appropriate annually funds to the department of           

                                                                                

20  education for state administration of the program.  In addition,            

                                                                                

21  the department of education shall distribute to local public                

                                                                                

22  school districts from the driver education fund a pro rata amount           

                                                                                

23  equal to the number of students who have completed segment 1 of             

                                                                                

24  an approved driver education course through the local public                

                                                                                

25  school districts whether directly from the student's own local              

                                                                                

26  school district or by certificate issued from the student's own             

                                                                                

27  local school district in the previous fiscal year, or the actual            


                                                                                

1   cost per student, whichever is less.  Beginning April 1, 1998, a            

                                                                                

2   local school district that offers an approved driver education              

                                                                                

3   course shall provide an amount equal to the pro rata amount from            

                                                                                

4   the driver education fund for each student residing in the                  

                                                                                

5   district who completes segment 1 of an approved driver education            

                                                                                

6   course within that district.  The local school district shall               

                                                                                

7   provide each student participating in an approved driver                    

                                                                                

8   education course with a certificate in a form provided by the               

                                                                                

9   local school district and approved by the department of education           

                                                                                

10  that the student shall use toward the payment of any fee charged            

                                                                                

11  for the approved driver education course under the following                

                                                                                

12  conditions:                                                                 

                                                                                

13      (a) If the student participates in an approved driver                       

                                                                                

14  education course at a local school district of his or her choice            

                                                                                

15  other than his or her local school district.                                

                                                                                

16      (b) If the student participates in a driver education course                

                                                                                

17  at a licensed driver training school, but only if the following             

                                                                                

18  conditions exist:                                                           

                                                                                

19                                                                               (i) The student's local school district does not offer an                           

                                                                                

20  approved driver education course either itself or through a                 

                                                                                

21  consortium of local school districts of which the student's local           

                                                                                

22  school district is a member.                                                

                                                                                

23      (ii) The student's local school district does not offer an                   

                                                                                

24  approved driver education course with openings available either             

                                                                                

25  itself or through a consortium of local school districts of which           

                                                                                

26  the student's local school district is a member at the time the             

                                                                                

27  student attains 15 years, 6 months of age.                                  


                                                                                

1       From the amount distributed, the local school district shall                

                                                                                

2   reimburse each licensed driver training school or other local               

                                                                                

3   school district or the parent of the student the determined pro             

                                                                                

4   rata amount from the driver education fund for each student from            

                                                                                

5   that district completing segment 1 of an approved driver                    

                                                                                

6   education course with the licensed driver training school or                

                                                                                

7   other local school district during the fiscal year.                         

                                                                                

8       (4) Beginning April 1, 1998, the approved driver education                  

                                                                                

9   courses may be conducted by the local public school district or a           

                                                                                

10  consortium of school districts, by a licensed driver training               

                                                                                

11  school either itself or through a contract with a local school              

                                                                                

12  district, or by the intermediate district at the request of the             

                                                                                

13  local district.  If a local school district contracts with a                

                                                                                

14  licensed driver training school to conduct an approved driver               

                                                                                

15  education course, the contract shall require that the driver                

                                                                                

16  education course be conducted in accordance with the requirements           

                                                                                

17  set forth in department of education rules under subsection (6)             

                                                                                

18  that are applicable to an approved driver education course                  

                                                                                

19  conducted by a local school district.  Enrollment in approved               

                                                                                

20  driver education courses shall be open to residents not less than           

                                                                                

21  14 years 8 months of age enrolled in public, nonpublic, and home            

                                                                                

22  schools as well as resident out-of-school youth not less than 14            

                                                                                

23  years 8 months of age.  Reimbursement to local school districts             

                                                                                

24  shall be made on the basis of an application made by the local              

                                                                                

25  school district superintendent to the department of education.              

                                                                                

26  If money appropriated from the driver education fund is not                 

                                                                                

27  sufficient to provide for state administration of the driver                


                                                                                

1   education program and to reimburse local school districts for               

                                                                                

2   each student completing segment 1 of an approved driver education           

                                                                                

3   course, then payments made to local school districts shall be               

                                                                                

4   prorated to the amount that is appropriated and available in the            

                                                                                

5   fund.  A local school district or licensed driver training school           

                                                                                

6   may use videotapes, computers, telecourses, or other similar                

                                                                                

7   technology as part of the classroom instruction portion of its              

                                                                                

8   driver education courses.  A student may receive and use any of             

                                                                                

9   these materials at home.                                                    

                                                                                

10      (5) As used in this section, "driver education courses"                     

                                                                                

11  include classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel instruction, and            

                                                                                

12  observation in an automobile under the supervision of a qualified           

                                                                                

13  teacher or licensed instructor.  The department of education                

                                                                                

14  shall not require that licensed driver training school teachers             

                                                                                

15  or instructors be certificated under the revised school code,               

                                                                                

16  1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1 to 380.1852.                                         

                                                                                

17      (6) The department of education may promulgate rules pursuant               

                                                                                

18  to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL              

                                                                                

19  24.201 to 24.328, to implement this section.  The rules shall               

                                                                                

20  include, at a minimum, instructional standards, teacher                     

                                                                                

21  qualifications, and reimbursement procedures.                               

                                                                                

22      (7) Notwithstanding sections 306 and 308, an operator's                     

                                                                                

23  license shall not be issued to a person under 18 years of age               

                                                                                

24  unless that person successfully passes a driver education course            

                                                                                

25  and examination given by a public school, nonpublic school, or an           

                                                                                

26  equivalent course approved by the department of education given             

                                                                                

27  by a licensed driver training school.  A person who has been a              


                                                                                

1   holder of a motor vehicle operator's license issued by any other            

                                                                                

2   state, territory, or possession of the United States, or any                

                                                                                

3   other sovereignty for 1 year immediately before application for             

                                                                                

4   an operator's license under this act is not required to comply              

                                                                                

5   with this subsection.  Restricted licenses may be issued pursuant           

                                                                                

6   to section 312 without compliance with this subsection.  A driver           

                                                                                

7   education course shall be made available for a person under 18              

                                                                                

8   years of age within a time that will enable that person to                  

                                                                                

9   qualify for a license before the time that the person is                    

                                                                                

10  permitted by law to have a license.                                         

                                                                                

11      (8) Beginning April 1, 1998, a public school system may                     

                                                                                

12  impose a charge or enrollment fee for a driver education course             

                                                                                

13  upon a student desiring to take the course as a duly enrolled               

                                                                                

14  student for the course in a school of the public school system.             

                                                                                

15  If a charge or enrollment fee is imposed, it shall be the same              

                                                                                

16  for all students who reside within the territory of the public              

                                                                                

17  school system.