SB480: Bill Text

2013 Senate BILL 480

January 9, 2014 - Introduced by Senators Risser, Lehman, Harris and Miller, cosponsored by Representatives Berceau, Wright, Bernier, Sargent and Spiros. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Public Safety, and Veterans and Military Affairs.

SB480,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 343.16 (3) (a); to amend 343.165 (4) (d) and 343.20 (1) (a); and to create 343.16 (3) (c) of the statutes; relating to: the renewal of operator's licenses by persons 75 years of age or older.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, most operator's licenses issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) must be renewed every eight years. In general, an applicant for renewal of an operator's license must pass an eyesight test and have his or her photograph taken, but the applicant may provide a report of satisfactory eyesight from an eye care professional in lieu of DOT's eyesight examination.

Under this bill, a person who is 75 years of age or older (elderly driver) must renew his or her operator's license every four years rather than every eight years. The bill also allows an elderly driver to renew his or her operator's license by mail or by electronic means established by DOT if the elderly driver provides DOT with all of the following: 1) a medical form, completed by a health care professional, representing that the elderly driver has been examined and is physically capable of safely operating a motor vehicle; and 2) a report of satisfactory eyesight from an eye care professional, which report may be incorporated into the medical form. No photograph is taken at the time of renewal if an elderly driver renews his or her operator's license by mail or electronic means. An elderly driver may renew his or her operator's license by mail or electronic means only at every other renewal period. The bill requires DOT to prescribe the medical form and establish an electronic means for operator's license renewal.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB480,1 Section 1. 343.16 (3) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 343.16 (3) (a) 1. and amended to read:

SB480,2,13 343.16 (3) (a) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., par. (c), and s. 343.165 (4) (d), the department shall examine every applicant for the renewal of an operator's license once every 8 years or, if the applicant will be 75 years of age or older when the renewal period commences, once every 4 years. The department may institute a method of selecting the date of renewal so that such examination shall be required for each applicant for renewal of a license to gain a uniform rate of examinations. The examination shall consist of a test of eyesight. The department shall make provisions for giving such eyesight examinations at examining stations in each county to all applicants for an operator's license. The person to be examined shall appear at the examining station nearest the person's place of residence or at such time and place as the department designates in answer to an applicant's request.

SB480,2,20 2. In lieu of an eyesight examination under subd. 1., the applicant may present or mail to the department a report of examination of the applicant's eyesight by an ophthalmologist, optometrist or physician licensed to practice medicine. The report shall be based on an examination made not more than 3 months prior to the date it is submitted. The report shall be on a form furnished and in the form required by the department. The department shall decide whether, in each case, the eyesight reported is sufficient to meet the current eyesight standards.

SB480,2 Section 2. 343.16 (3) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB480,3,4 343.16 (3) (c) 1. Subject to subd. 2., an applicant for renewal of an operator's license who will be 75 years of age or older when the renewal period commences may renew the operator's license by mail or by electronic means established by the department if the applicant provides the department with all of the following:

SB480,3,9 a. A medical form prescribed by the department, completed by a health care professional as defined in s. 968.38 (1) (a), representing that the applicant has been examined by the health care professional within 3 months prior to the date the medical form is submitted to the department and that the applicant is physically capable of safely operating a motor vehicle.

SB480,3,12 b. A report of examination of the applicant's eyesight that satisfies the requirements under par. (a) 2. This report may be included within the medical form under subd. 1. a.

SB480,3,14 2. An applicant may not, under subd. 1., make consecutive renewals of an operator's license by mail or electronic means.

SB480,3,18 3. The department shall prescribe the medical form specified in subd. 1. a. and make it publicly available. The medical form shall include a section allowing a qualified health care professional completing the form to also make a report of eyesight examination in lieu of a separate report under par. (a) 2.

SB480,3,20 4. The department shall establish an electronic means for renewal of an operator's license as provided in subd. 1.

SB480,3 Section 3. 343.165 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB480,4,12 343.165 (4) (d) With any license or identification card renewal following a license or identification card expiration established under s. 343.20 (1m) or 343.50 (5) (c) at other than an 8-year interval, the department may determine whether the applicant's photograph is to be taken, or if the renewal is for a license the applicant is to be examined, or both, at the time of such renewal, so long as the applicant's photograph is taken, and if the renewal is for a license the applicant is examined, with a license or card renewal at least once every 8 years and the applicant's license or identification card at all times includes a photograph unless an exception under s. 343.14 (3m) or 343.50 (4g) applies. With any license renewal by an applicant who will be 75 years of age or older when the renewal period commences, the department may determine whether the applicant's photograph is to be taken at the time of renewal so long as the applicant's photograph is taken with a license renewal at least once every 8 years and the applicant's license at all times includes a photograph unless the exception under s. 343.14 (3m) applies. However, an applicant who renews an operator's license by mail or electronic means as provided in s. 343.16 (3) (c) shall not have his or her photograph taken at the time of this renewal.

SB480,4 Section 4. 343.20 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB480,5,2 343.20 (1) (a) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this chapter, probationary licenses issued under s. 343.085, licenses issued after cancellation under s. 343.26 (1), and original licenses other than instruction permits shall expire 2 years from the date of the applicant's next birthday. Subject to s. 343.125 (3), all other licenses and license endorsements shall expire 8 years after the date of issuance or, if an applicant for renewal of a license will be 75 years of age or older on the current license expiration date, 4 years after the current expiration date. The department may institute any system of initial license issuance which it deems advisable for the purpose of gaining a uniform rate of renewals. In order to put such a system into operation, the department may issue licenses which are valid for any period less than the ordinary effective period of such license. If the department issues a license that is valid for less than the ordinary effective period as authorized by this paragraph, the fees due under s. 343.21 (1) (b) and (d) shall be prorated accordingly.

SB480,5 Section 5. Initial applicability.

SB480,5,5 (1) This act first applies to renewal applications received by the department of transportation on the effective date of this subsection.

SB480,6 Section 6. Effective date.

SB480,5,8 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 4th month beginning after publication.

SB480,5,9 (End)