BILL NUMBER: SB 720	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 22, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Runner
    (   Coauthor:   Assembly Member  
Knight   ) 

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to amend Section 12817 of the Vehicle Code, relating to
vehicles.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 720, as amended, Runner. Vehicles: drivers' licenses: military
personnel and their  dependents   spouses 
.
   Existing law requires a California driver's license held by a
person who enters or is in the United States Armed Forces to continue
in full force and effect, so long as the service continues and the
person remains absent from this state, and for a period not to exceed
30 days following the date the holder of the license is honorably
separated from service or returns to this state, among other things.
   This bill would extend the above benefit to  a dependent,
as defined,   the spouse  of the person who enters
or is in the United States Armed Forces, as specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 12817 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
   12817.  (a) A California driver's license held by a person who
enters or is in the United States Armed Forces shall continue in full
force and effect, so long as the service continues and the person
remains absent from this state, and for a period not to exceed 30
days following the date the holder of the license is honorably
separated from that service or returns to this state,  whichever
is earlier,  unless the license was suspended, canceled, or
revoked for cause as provided by law. The license is valid only if it
is in the immediate possession of the licensee  while
driving  and the licensee has in his or her immediate
possession discharge or separation papers if the licensee has been
discharged or separated from the service.
   (b)  (1)    A California driver'
s license held by a  dependent   spouse  of
a person described in subdivision (a) shall continue in full force
and effect, so long as the person described in subdivision (a)
continues in  the  service and remains absent from this
state and the  dependent   spouse  remains
absent from this state, and for a period not to exceed 30 days
following the date the person described in subdivision (a) is
honorably separated from that service or the date that  that
  the  person or the  dependent 
 spouse  returns to this state, whichever is earlier, unless
the  dependent's   spouse's  license was
suspended, canceled, or revoked for cause  as  provided by
law. The license is valid only  when   if it is
 in the immediate possession of the licensee  while
driving   and the licensee has in his or her immediate
possession   discharge or separation papers of the person
described in subdivision (a)  . 
   (2) For purposes of this subdivision, a dependent means the wife
or minor child of the person described in subdivision (a).