SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6524

BYSenators Nelson, Patrick, Gaspard and Rasmussen

Pertaining to fictitious or fraudulent identification.

Senate Committee on Law & Justice

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 23, 1990

Senate Staff:Dick Armstrong (786-7460)

AS OF JANUARY 19, 1990

BACKGROUND:

When a person's driver's license has been cancelled, revoked or suspended by the Department of Licensing (DOL), a notice is sent to the driver by DOL requiring the person to immediately return his or her driver's license to DOL.  Failure to do so is a misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of 90 days in jail, and/or a fine of $1,000.  Problems arise when the original notice is not delivered or the defendant moves, leaving no forwarding address.  Courts are reluctant to impose criminal penalties for this type of a crime and many judges are of the opinion that a traffic infraction is a more appropriate penalty.

SUMMARY:

It is a traffic infraction to display or possess a cancelled, revoked or suspended driver's license or identicard.

Existing provisions of law which make it a misdemeanor to display or possess a cancelled, revoked or suspended driver's license or identicard are deleted.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    none requested