Senate Bill 1320

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1320

    By Senator Carlton





    24-671-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to driver's license renewal;

  3         amending s. 322.18, F.S.; revising requirements

  4         for issuing license extensions; requiring an

  5         applicant for renewal to submit the results of

  6         a vision test; providing an effective date.

  7

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9

10         Section 1.  Subsection (8) of section 322.18, Florida

11  Statutes, is amended to read:

12         322.18  Original applications, licenses, and renewals;

13  expiration of licenses; delinquent licenses.--

14         (8)  The department shall issue 4-year and 6-year

15  license extensions by mail, electronic, or telephonic means

16  without reexamination.

17         (a)  If the department determines from its records that

18  the holder of a license about to expire is eligible for

19  renewal, the department shall mail a renewal notice to the

20  licensee at his or her last known address, not less than 30

21  days prior to the licensee's birthday.  The renewal notice

22  shall direct the licensee to appear at a driver license office

23  for in-person renewal or to transmit the completed renewal

24  notice and the fees required by s. 322.21 to the department by

25  mail, electronically, or telephonically within the 30 days

26  preceding the licensee's birthday for a license extension.

27  License extensions shall not be available to drivers directed

28  to appear for in-person renewal.

29         (b)  Upon receipt of a properly completed renewal

30  notice and of a statement by a licensed ophthalmologist,

31  optometrist, or physician, which is submitted on a form

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1320
    24-671-99




  1  provided by the department and certifies that a vision test

  2  performed within 12 months before the renewal date shows that

  3  the applicant's eyesight meets applicable standards, upon

  4  payment of the required fees, and upon determining that the

  5  licensee is still eligible for renewal, the department shall

  6  send a license extension sticker to the licensee to affix to

  7  the expiring license as evidence that the license term has

  8  been extended. If a request for renewal is submitted

  9  electronically or telephonically, a license extension sticker

10  may be sent to the licensee if the results of the vision test

11  are received by the department within 90 days. If those

12  results are not received by the department within 90 days, the

13  department must cancel the licensee's driving privilege until

14  satisfactory results of the vision test are provided to the

15  department.

16         (c)  The department shall issue license extensions for

17  two consecutive license expirations only.  Upon expiration of

18  two consecutive license extension periods, in-person renewal

19  with reexamination as provided in s. 322.121 shall be

20  required.  A person who is out of this state when his or her

21  license expires may be issued a 90-day temporary driving

22  permit without reexamination. At the end of the 90-day period,

23  the person must either return to this state or apply for a

24  license where the person is located, except for a member of

25  the Armed Forces as provided in s. 322.121(6).

26         (d)  In-person renewal at a driver license office shall

27  not be available to drivers whose records indicate they were

28  directed to apply for a license extension.

29         (d)(e)  Any person who knowingly possesses any forged,

30  stolen, fictitious, counterfeit, or unlawfully issued license

31  extension sticker, unless possession by the such person has

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    Florida Senate - 1999                                  SB 1320
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  1  been duly authorized by the department, commits a misdemeanor

  2  of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or

  3  s. 775.083.

  4         (e)(f)  The department shall develop a plan for the

  5  equitable distribution of license extensions and renewals and

  6  the orderly implementation of this section.

  7         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1999.

  8

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10                          SENATE SUMMARY

11    Revises requirements for applying for driver's license
      extensions. Provides that the results of a vision test
12    that was taken within 12 months before the application
      for renewal must be submitted with a renewal request.
13    Provides that if such a request is granted telephonically
      or electronically, the licensee must submit satisfactory
14    results of a vision test to the Department of Highway
      Safety and Motor Vehicles within 90 days after the
15    renewal. Allows the department to suspend the licensee's
      driving privilege until the results have been submitted
16    if the 90-day deadline is not met.

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