S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3935--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 8, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. RAMOS, DE LOS SANTOS, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, SANTABAR-
   BARA, EICHENSTEIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GIBBS -- read once
   and  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Transportation   --   committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee

 AN  ACT in relation to authorizing the commissioner of motor vehicles to
   enter into reciprocity agreements with other states, countries,  prov-
   inces or territories that issue driver licenses
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The commissioner of motor vehicles is hereby authorized  to
 enter  into  agreements with other parties that issue driver licenses to
 provide reciprocity in issuing driver licenses between citizens from the
 state of New York residing in the respective state, country, province or
 territory and to the citizens from  such  state,  country,  province  or
 territory  residing  in  the  state of New York. The parties shall agree
 that reciprocal provisions for issuance and skills to acquire  a  driver
 license  shall be applicable in the state of New York and in the respec-
 tive state, country, province or territory. The  commissioner  of  motor
 vehicles  may  only enter into such reciprocal agreements with a  state,
 country, province or territory that has a comparable licensing  process,
 including without limitation, knowledge and road tests, and may    enter
 into  reciprocal  agreements  providing  for  additional  education with
 respect to the operating laws, rules, and regulations of the  respective
 state, country, province or territory.
   § 2. For any such reciprocal agreement entered into, the parties shall
 agree  that  a holder of a valid driver license of the state of New York
 residing in such state, country, province or territory, shall be able to
 exchange such license for a driver license issued by such  state,  coun-
 try,  province or territory at the nominal conversion fee, without being
 required to pass the knowledge and road test. Correspondingly, a  holder
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 A                                                          LBD08246-03-3
              

 A. 3935--A                          2
 
 of  a  valid  driver  license  from  another state, country, province or
 territory lawfully residing in the state of New York, who is not  exempt
 from  licensing requirements under the vehicle and traffic law, shall be
 able  to  exchange  their license for a standard license in the state of
 New York at the nominal conversion fee, without being required  to  pass
 the knowledge and road test.
   §  3.  The  state of New York, through the commissioner of motor vehi-
 cles, and the respective ministry or department of the  state,  country,
 province or territory, shall agree on the following:
   1.  Each  party  to  this  agreement  shall  provide samples of driver
 licenses (or copies thereof) issued at the time of  this  agreement  and
 thereafter,  as  well as a definition of all classes of driver licenses,
 notations and restrictions;
   2. This agreement shall only apply to holders of  unrestricted  driver
 licenses  aged  18  or  older  and  shall  not apply to applications for
 enhanced licenses pursuant to section 7209 of  the  Intelligence  Reform
 and  Terrorism  Prevention  Act of 2004, Public Law 108-458, real IDs or
 driver licenses for the operation  of  a  commercial  motor  vehicle  or
 motorcycle.
   3.  For  the  decision  on  the issuance of a driver license, the same
 standards, rules and regulations as for any resident of the state of New
 York and/or the respective state, country, province or  territory  shall
 apply.
   4.  Each  party  shall  agree to verify whether the driver still has a
 valid driver license of the state in which  he  or  she  was  originally
 licensed,  provided that the commissioner of motor vehicles shall ensure
 that driver information for no other driver licensed in the state  other
 than  the  driver  applying  for  the  reciprocal license is shared when
 conducting such verification and designing such verification system, and
 shall ensure that any information necessary to be shared, if any,  shall
 substantially comply with federal and state law for purposes of a recip-
 rocal  license application. For purposes of this section, "driver infor-
 mation" shall include, but not be limited  to,  any  portion  or  record
 retained by the commissioner of motor vehicles in relation to a non-com-
 mercial  driver  license  or renewal application that contains the photo
 image or identifies  the  social  security  number,  address,  telephone
 number,  place  of  birth,  age, country of origin, place of employment,
 school or educational institution attended, source of income, status  as
 a  recipient  of public benefits, customer identification number associ-
 ated with a public utilities account, and medical information  or  disa-
 bility information.
   §  4.  The agreement shall be signed by both the commissioner of motor
 vehicles of the state of New York and an official with  legal  authority
 to enter into such agreement on behalf of the respective state, country,
 province  or  territory  and  may  be cancelled or revoked in writing by
 either party at any time and for any reason with  three  months'  notice
 provided  that notification shall be sent to the address provided by the
 parties in the agreement.
   § 5. The commissioner of motor vehicles shall report to the  governor,
 the  temporary  president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly
 on agreements entered into pursuant to section one of  this  act  within
 one year of the date this act shall have become a law and annually ther-
 eafter.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.