S-0674.1/91       _______________________________________________

 

                                 SENATE BILL 5129

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

 

By Senators Madsen and Vognild.

 

Read first time January 22, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.Prohibiting high school dropouts from obtaining or keeping drivers' permits or licenses.


     AN ACT Relating to driving privileges of high school students; amending RCW 46.20.091; and adding a new section to chapter 46.20 RCW.

 

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

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 46.20 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The department shall deny or revoke the instruction permit or driver's license of any person who is under eighteen years of age and who is required to attend school under RCW 28A.225.010 if that person has ten consecutive or fifteen days' total unexcused absences from high school during one semester or the equivalent of one semester, including absences due to suspension or expulsion.

     (2) The high school principal or other appropriate school official shall notify the department about any student over the age of fifteen who has ten consecutive or fifteen days' total unexcused absences from high school during one semester or the equivalent of one semester, including absences due to suspension or expulsion.

     (3) The department of licensing and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall adopt rules to implement this section.

     (4) This section shall not apply to a person who is under eighteen years of age whose parent or guardian submits a statement in writing to the department of licensing stating that it is their belief that their child is receiving or has received an adequate education through the provisions of chapter 28A.225 RCW and their child should continue to hold a driver's license or instruction permit.  The letter submitted under this subsection shall be used only for the purposes of this subsection.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 46.20.091 and 1990 c 250 s 35 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Every application for an instruction permit or for an original driver's license shall be made upon a form prescribed and furnished by the department which shall be sworn to and signed by the applicant before a person authorized to administer oaths.  Every application for an instruction permit containing a photograph shall be accompanied by a fee of five dollars.  The department shall forthwith transmit the fees collected for instruction permits and temporary drivers' permits to the state treasurer.

     (2) Every such application shall state the full name, date of birth, sex, and Washington residence address of the applicant, and briefly describe the applicant, and shall state whether the applicant has theretofore been licensed as a driver or chauffeur, and, if so, when and by what state or country, and whether any such license has ever been suspended or revoked, or whether an application has ever been refused, and, if so, the date of and reason for such suspension, revocation, or refusal, and shall state such additional information as the department shall require.  For persons under the age of eighteen, the department shall require proof of high school attendance if such attendance is required under RCW 28A.225.010 on a form provided by the school, a high school diploma or other document showing proof of graduation from high school, or letter from a parent or guardian as required under section 1 of this 1991 act.

     (3) Whenever application is received from a person previously licensed in another jurisdiction, the department shall request a copy of such driver's record from such other jurisdiction.  When received, the driving record shall become a part of the driver's record in this state.

     (4) Whenever the department receives request for a driving record from another licensing jurisdiction, the record shall be forwarded without charge if the other licensing jurisdiction extends the same privilege to the state of Washington.   Otherwise there shall be a reasonable charge for transmittal of the record, the amount to be fixed by the director of the department.