The Florida Senate

322.25  When court to forward license to department and report convictions; temporary reinstatement of driving privileges.--

(1)  Whenever any person is convicted of any offense for which this chapter makes mandatory the revocation of the driver's license of such person by the department, the court in which such conviction is had shall require the surrender to it of all driver's licenses then held by the person so convicted, and the court shall thereupon forward the same, together with a record of such conviction, to the department.

(2)  Every court having jurisdiction over offenses committed under this chapter, or any other law of this state regulating the operation of motor vehicles on highways, shall forward to the department a record of the conviction of any person in said court for a violation of any said laws, and shall suspend or revoke in accordance with the provisions of this chapter the driver's license of the person so convicted.

(3)  There shall be no notation made upon a license of either an arrest or warning until the holder of the license has been duly convicted or has forfeited bond.

(4)  For the purpose of this chapter, a forfeiture of bail or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance in court, which forfeiture has not been vacated, shall be equivalent to a conviction.

(5)  For the purpose of this chapter, the entrance of a plea of nolo contendere by the defendant to a charge of driving while intoxicated, driving under the influence, driving with an unlawful blood-alcohol level, or any other alcohol-related or drug-related traffic offense similar to the offenses specified in s. 316.193, accepted by the court and under which plea the court has entered a fine or sentence, whether in this state or any other state or country, shall be equivalent to a conviction.

(6)  The report of a judicial disposition of an offense committed under this chapter or of any traffic violation, including parking on a roadway outside the limits of a municipality, or of a violation of any law of this state regulating the operation of motor vehicles on highways shall be made by the court to the department on a standard form prescribed by the department. In addition, the court shall so report to the department any conviction of a person for felony possession of a controlled substance if such person was driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle at the time of such possession. The form shall be a copy of the uniform traffic citation and complaint as prescribed by s. 316.650 and shall include a place for the court to indicate clearly whether it recommends suspension or revocation of the offender's driving privilege. The report shall be signed by the judge or by facsimile signature. The clerks of the court may submit disposition data to the department in an automated fashion, in a form prescribed by the department.

(7)  Any licensed driver convicted of driving, or being in the actual physical control of, a vehicle within this state while under the influence of alcoholic beverages, any chemical substance set forth in s. 877.111, or any substance controlled under chapter 893, when affected to the extent that his or her normal faculties are impaired, and whose license and driving privilege have been revoked as provided in subsection (1) may be issued a court order for reinstatement of a driving privilege on a temporary basis; provided that, as a part of the penalty, upon conviction, the defendant is required to enroll in and complete a driver improvement course for the rehabilitation of drinking drivers and the driver is otherwise eligible for reinstatement of the driving privilege as provided by s. 322.282. The court order for reinstatement shall be on a form provided by the department and must be taken by the person convicted to a Florida driver's license examining office, where a temporary driving permit may be issued. The period of time for which a temporary permit issued in accordance with this subsection is valid shall be deemed to be part of the period of revocation imposed by the court.

History.--s. 37, ch. 19551, 1939; CGL 1940 Supp. 4151(651); s. 37, ch. 20451, 1941; s. 1, ch. 59-313; s. 3, ch. 61-457; s. 8, ch. 72-175; ss. 1, 3, ch. 74-248; s. 40, ch. 76-31; s. 1, ch. 77-119; s. 22, ch. 78-394; s. 2, ch. 79-99; s. 5, ch. 80-316; s. 2, ch. 81-118; s. 203, ch. 81-259; s. 5, ch. 86-296; s. 44, ch. 89-282; s. 412, ch. 95-148; s. 41, ch. 95-333.