MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Transportation

By: Representative Whittington, Barnett (92nd)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-47, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE EVERY PERSON, UPON EACH RENEWAL OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE, TO TAKE AND PASS A VISION SCREENING EXAMINATION TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 63-1-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-1-47. (1) Each applicant for an original license issued pursuant to this article, who is entitled to issuance of same, and who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, shall be issued a four-year license. Each license will expire at midnight on the licensee's birthday.

(a) All renewal licenses of operators eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be for four-year periods and may be renewed any time within six (6) months before the expiration of the license upon application and payment of the required fee, unless required to be reexamined.

(b) Every person, upon each renewal of a driver's license, and in addition to complying with all other requirements for the renewal of a driver's license, must take and pass a vision screening examination to be administered by the Department of Public Safety. No additional fee shall be charged by the department for administering such examination.

(c) From and after January 1, 1990, no commercial driver's license shall be issued under the provisions of this article for any commercial motor vehicle, the lawful operation of which requires the driver to obtain a Class A, B or C commercial driver's license under Article 2 of this chapter; however, from time to time, the holder of a commercial license may apply for a commercial driver's license under Article 2 of this chapter; and, if he fails to pass the required test for such license, he shall be entitled to an extension of his license that shall be valid for one hundred twenty (120) days or until he again is tested under Article 2 of this chapter, whichever occurs first. The extension shall entitle the license holder to operate all vehicles which such license authorized him to operate prior to taking the required test. The first extension shall be without charge; however, a fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15.00) shall be imposed for any subsequent extension. No extension shall be valid past March 31, 1992.

(2) Any commercial driver's license issued under this article before January 1, 1990, which expires after March 31, 1992, shall be void on April 1, 1992, for the operation of any commercial vehicle requiring a commercial license to be issued under Article 2 of this chapter; however, if the holder of any such license applies for a commercial driver's license under Article 2 of this chapter, passes the required tests for such license, pays all applicable fees under Article 2 of this chapter except the Forty Dollars ($40.00) license fee and otherwise meets all requirements for the issuance of such license, then such person shall be issued a license under Article 2 of this chapter which shall expire on the expiration date of the commercial driver's license being replaced.

(3) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall notify, by United States mail addressed to the last known address of record with the Department of Public Safety, all holders of commercial driver's licenses issued under this article before January 1, 1990, and which expire after March 31, 1992, that such licenses will be void on and after April 1, 1992, for the operation of any vehicle for which a commercial driver's license is required to be issued under Article 2 of this chapter.

(4) Any person holding a valid commercial driver's license issued under this article before January 1, 1990, shall continue thereafter, until expiration of such license, to be entitled to operate all vehicles which such license authorized him to operate immediately before January 1, 1990, except that from and after April 1, 1992, such license shall not entitle the licensee to operate a commercial motor vehicle the lawful operation of which requires a commercial driver's license under Article 2 of this chapter.

(5)  * * * Each applicant for an original driver's license issued pursuant to this article, who is entitled to issuance of same, being under eighteen (18) years of age, shall be issued a one-year license. Each license will expire at midnight on the licensee's birthday. Renewal driver's licenses of operators under the age of eighteen (18) shall be for one-year periods and may be renewed any time within two (2) months before the expiration of the license upon application and payment of the required fee, unless required to be reexamined.  The application for renewal by an operator under the age of eighteen (18) must be accompanied by documentation that the applicant is in compliance with the education requirements of Section 63-1-9(1)(g); the documentation must be dated no more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of application.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.