Senate Bill S6649A

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6649

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to requiring the commissioner of motor vehicles to
enter into an agreement with the Republic of China (Taiwan) for reci-
procity of driver licenses

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would require the commissioner of motor vehicles to enter into
a driver license reciprocity agreement with the Republic of China
(Taiwan).

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: This bill requires New York State and the Republic of China
(Taiwan) to enter into a drivers' license reciprocity agreement.

Section 2: The commissioner of motor vehicles and the Republic of China
(Taiwan) through the Ministry of Transportation and Communications
              

represented by the Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office in the United States shall enter into an agreement
for reciprocity in issuing driver licenses to citizens from NYS residing
in Taiwan and to the Taiwanese citizens residing in NYS. Both parties
will agree on the reciprocal provision for issuance and skills. Both
parties shall agree that a holder of a valid, unexpired license residing
of the state of New York residing in the Republic of China (Taiwan),
will be able to exchange such license for a Taiwanese driver license at
a nominal conversion fee, without being require to pass the theoretical
and practical test and vice versa. If the license is expired, all tests
will be required.

Section 3: Both parties shall agree on: 1. Each party shall provide
sample of driver licenses issued at time of the agreement and definition
of all classes of driver licenses, notations and restrictions. 2. A
practical driving test and/or medical documentation attesting to phys-
ical or mental capabilities shall only be required in situations where
the driving examiner has cause to believe that the person concerned is
physical or mentally not qualified to operate a motor vehicle 3. This
agreement only applies to holders of unrestricted driver licenses aged
18 or older and shall not apply to applications for driver licenses for
the operation of a commercial motor vehicle or motorcycle 4. The stand-
ards, rules and regulations shall be the same as for any resident of the
state of NY and/or the Republic of China (Taiwan) 5. The new driver
license shall be issued after processing the application for the driver
license and the original shall be returned to the applicant once the new
one is issued. 6. When technically possible, each side shall agree to
verify if the driver license is still valid in the state it was issued.

Section 4: This agreement shall be signed by both the commissioner of
motor vehicles of NYS and the Representative of the Taipei Economic and
Cultural Representative office in the United States and may be canceled
or revoked in writing by either party at any time and for any reason
with three months' notice provided that notification is sent to the
address provided by the parties in agreement. Section 5:  The commis-
sioner of motor vehicles shall draft the agreement and present such
agreement to the Representatives of the Taipei Economic Cultural Repre-
sentatives office in the United States within 90 days of the date this
act shall have become law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Currently, there are 16 states - MA, MD, DE, ID, WA, OR, SC, AL, AR, OK,
TX, MS, FL, PR (Puerto Rico), AZ and PA - that have entered into such
agreements with Taiwan. By entering into a driver license reciprocity
agreement, New York State's Department of Transportation and the Repub-
lic of China (Taiwan), through the Ministry of Transportation and Commu-
nications, would agree to recognize and exchange valid driver's licenses
issue by the other's jurisdiction.  The benefit for New York State for
Taiwanese businessmen, researchers, students and so on to get a New York
State license would be the increase of mobility in the State which in
turns is a direct benefit to the economic development of New York State.
The licensing and skill requirements necessary to become licensed in
each jurisdiction are comparable - ensuring that Taiwanese license hold-
ers would meet the same rules and regulations and high standards as New
York driver license holders and vice versa. Thus, guaranteeing the safe-
ty of our roadways.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-20: S2951

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.