S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
91
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PERRY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to identifica-
tion requirements for obtaining a driver's license; and to repeal
certain provisions of such law relating thereto
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 of
section 490 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 487 of
the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
(i) The commissioner shall upon submission of an appropriate applica-
tion, upon payment of the prescribed fee, and upon being satisfied that
the person described is the applicant and that such applicant meets the
requirements set forth in subdivision two of this section, issue to such
applicant a nontransferable identification card. In addition, the
commissioner also shall require that an applicant for an identification
card or renewal thereof provide his or her social security number OR A
FOREIGN PASSPORT AS PROOF OF IDENTITY, PROVIDED THAT THE PASSPORT EXHIB-
ITS PROOF OF THE APPLICANT'S LEGAL ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES. The
commissioner shall provide space so that an applicant may request a
notation upon such identification card that he or she is a veteran of
the United States armed forces.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law is
REPEALED and a new subdivision 1 is added to read as follows:
1. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE. APPLICATION FOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE SHALL
BE MADE TO THE COMMISSIONER. THE FEE PRESCRIBED BY LAW MAY BE SUBMITTED
WITH SUCH APPLICATION. THE APPLICANT SHALL FURNISH SUCH PROOF OF IDENTI-
TY, AGE, AND FITNESS AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER. THE COMMIS-
SIONER MAY ALSO PROVIDE THAT THE APPLICATION PROCEDURE SHALL INCLUDE THE
TAKING OF A PHOTO IMAGE OR IMAGES OF THE APPLICANT IN ACCORDANCE WITH
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05249-01-9
A. 91 2
RULES AND REGULATIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER. IN ADDITION, THE
COMMISSIONER ALSO SHALL REQUIRE THAT THE APPLICANT PROVIDE HIS OR HER
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR A FOREIGN PASSPORT AS PROOF OF IDENTITY,
PROVIDED THAT THE PASSPORT EXHIBITS PROOF OF THE APPLICANT'S LEGAL ENTRY
INTO THE UNITED STATES, AND SHALL PROVIDE SPACE ON THE APPLICATION SO
THAT THE APPLICANT MAY REGISTER IN THE NEW YORK STATE ORGAN AND TISSUE
DONOR REGISTRY UNDER SECTION FORTY-THREE HUNDRED TEN OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH LAW WITH THE FOLLOWING STATED ON THE APPLICATION IN CLEAR AND
CONSPICUOUS TYPE:
"YOU MUST FILL OUT THE FOLLOWING SECTION: WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ADDED
TO THE DONATE LIFE REGISTRY? CHECK BOX FOR 'YES' OR 'SKIP THIS QUES-
TION'."
THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL NOT MAINTAIN
RECORDS OF ANY PERSON WHO CHECKS "SKIP THIS QUESTION". FAILURE TO CHECK
A BOX SHALL NOT IMPAIR THE VALIDITY OF AN APPLICATION, AND FAILURE TO
CHECK "YES" OR CHECKING "SKIP THIS QUESTION" SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO
IMPLY A WISH NOT TO DONATE. IN THE CASE OF AN APPLICANT UNDER EIGHTEEN
YEARS OF AGE, CHECKING "YES" SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE CONSENT TO MAKE AN
ANATOMICAL GIFT OR REGISTRATION IN THE DONATE LIFE REGISTRY. WHERE AN
APPLICANT HAS PREVIOUSLY CONSENTED TO MAKE AN ANATOMICAL GIFT OR REGIS-
TERED IN THE DONATE LIFE REGISTRY, CHECKING "SKIP THIS QUESTION" OR
FAILING TO CHECK A BOX SHALL NOT IMPAIR THAT CONSENT OR REGISTRATION.
IN ADDITION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROVIDE SPACE SO THAT AN APPLICANT
MAY REQUEST A NOTATION UPON SUCH IDENTIFICATION CARD THAT HE OR SHE IS A
VETERAN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES. IN ADDITION, AN APPLICANT FOR
A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE WHO WILL OPERATE A COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHI-
CLE IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE SHALL CERTIFY THAT SUCH APPLICANT MEETS THE
REQUIREMENTS TO OPERATE A COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE, AS SET FORTH IN
PUBLIC LAW 99-570, TITLE XII, AND TITLE 49 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGU-
LATIONS, AND ALL REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION UNDER THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION ACT. IN
ADDITION, AN APPLICANT FOR A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE SHALL SUBMIT A
MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AT SUCH INTERVALS AS REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL MOTOR
CARRIER SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1999 AND PART 383.71(H) OF TITLE 49 OF
THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS RELATING TO MEDICAL CERTIFICATION AND IN
A MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION
AND SECTIONS FIVE HUNDRED THREE, FIVE HUNDRED TEN-A, AND FIVE HUNDRED
TEN-AA OF THIS TITLE, THE TERMS "MEDICAL CERTIFICATE" AND "MEDICAL
CERTIFICATION" SHALL MEAN A FORM SUBSTANTIALLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE
FORM SET FORTH IN PART 391.43(H) OF TITLE 49 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL
REGULATIONS. UPON A DETERMINATION THAT THE HOLDER OF A COMMERCIAL DRIV-
ER'S LICENSE HAS MADE ANY FALSE STATEMENT, WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICA-
TION FOR SUCH LICENSE, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REVOKE SUCH LICENSE.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
added by section two of this act, is amended to read as follows:
1. Application for license. Application for a driver's license shall
be made to the commissioner. The fee prescribed by law may be submitted
with such application. The applicant shall furnish such proof of identi-
ty, age, and fitness as may be required by the commissioner. The commis-
sioner may also provide that the application procedure shall include the
taking of a photo image or images of the applicant in accordance with
rules and regulations prescribed by the commissioner. In addition, the
commissioner also shall require that the applicant provide his or her
social security number or a foreign passport as proof of identity,
provided that the passport exhibits proof of the applicant's legal entry
into the United States, and [shall] provide space on the application so
A. 91 3
that the applicant may register in the New York state organ and tissue
donor registry under section forty-three hundred ten of the public
health law [with the following stated on the application in clear and
conspicuous type:
"You must fill out the following section: Would you like to be added
to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this ques-
tion'."
The commissioner of the department of health shall not maintain
records of any person who checks "skip this question". Failure to check
a box shall not impair the validity of an application, and failure to
check "yes" or checking "skip this question" shall not be construed to
imply a wish not to donate. In the case of an applicant under eighteen
years of age, checking "yes" shall not constitute consent to make an
anatomical gift or registration in the donate life registry. Where an
applicant has previously consented to make an anatomical gift or regis-
tered in the donate life registry, checking "skip this question" or
failing to check a box shall not impair that consent or registration].
In addition, the commissioner shall provide space so that an applicant
may request a notation upon such identification card that he or she is a
veteran of the United States armed forces. In addition, an applicant for
a commercial driver's license who will operate a commercial motor vehi-
cle in interstate commerce shall certify that such applicant meets the
requirements to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as set forth in
public law 99-570, title XII, and title 49 of the code of federal regu-
lations, and all regulations promulgated by the United States secretary
of transportation under the hazardous materials transportation act. In
addition, an applicant for a commercial driver's license shall submit a
medical certificate at such intervals as required by the federal motor
carrier safety improvement act of 1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of
the code of federal regulations relating to medical certification and in
a manner prescribed by the commissioner. For purposes of this section
and sections five hundred three, five hundred ten-a, and five hundred
ten-aa of this title, the terms "medical certificate" and "medical
certification" shall mean a form substantially in compliance with the
form set forth in Part 391.43(h) of title 49 of the code of federal
regulations. Upon a determination that the holder of a commercial driv-
er's license has made any false statement, with respect to the applica-
tion for such license, the commissioner shall revoke such license.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided, however, that section three of this act
shall take effect October 3, 2020.