BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 2322 (Chu) - Vehicles: instruction permits: decals
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|Version: May 31, 2016 |Policy Vote: T. & H. 10 - 1 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Mark McKenzie |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: AB 2322 would require the Department of Motor Vehicles
(DMV) to offer a "student driver" decal to driver's instruction
permit applicants, and require DMV to charge a fee to cover the
costs of producing the decal.
Fiscal
Impact:
One-time DMV costs of approximately $140,000 in 2016-17 to
make necessary system changes for charging a fee for the
decals. There would be additional up-front costs to design
and produce decals, supply an inventory to field offices,
update forms, and train staff. (Motor Vehicle Account)
Unknown ongoing costs, potentially in the millions annually,
depending upon participation, partially offset by decal fees.
Staff notes that costs to produce the decals would be
recovered from the authorized fee, but additional costs
AB 2322 (Chu) Page 1 of
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related to increased staff time for field office transactions,
call center time, and postage for mailing decals would not be
recoverable. (Motor Vehicle Account)
Background: Existing law provides for a graduated driver's licensing
structure and provisional driver's license program that
restricts the driving privileges of young drivers under the age
of 18 in light of their operating inexperience. Prior to
applying for a provisional license, a person at least 15-1/2
years of age may apply for an instructional permit. A young
driver must hold the instructional permit for at least six
months, complete specified driver training instruction, document
50 hours of supervised driving practice, including at least 10
hours of driving during darkness, and successfully complete
DMV's examination requirements prior to applying for a
provisional license. An instruction permit entitles a person to
operate a vehicle, subject to specified limitations, for a
period not exceeding 24 months.
Existing law authorizes a person who is 18 years of age or older
to apply for an original driver's license by passing a traffic
laws and signs test, among other requirements. The applicant is
issued an instructional permit after passing the written test,
and must be accompanied by another person who is at least 18
when practicing driving. An instructional permit holder who is
18 years of age or older may schedule a driving test at any
time, and will be issued a valid driver's license following the
passage of that test.
Proposed Law:
AB 2322 would require DMV to offer the recipient of an
instructional permit a removable and transferable decal that
reads "student driver," which may be affixed to the side or rear
window of a vehicle to inform other drivers that the vehicle is
being operated by the instructional permit holder. DMV would
determine the size of the decal, but it may not exceed four
inches by 12 inches. DMV would be required to charge a fee to
decal recipients to cover its reasonable costs of producing the
decal.
Staff
Comments: DMV indicates that it processes approximately 1.2
AB 2322 (Chu) Page 2 of
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million instructional permit applications each year. It is
unknown how many applicants may wish to purchase a "student
driver" decal, but depending on demand, the price for the decal
is likely to be in the range of $8 to $10, which would fully
offset production costs. DMV would incur significant
non-recoverable costs to make one-time programming changes
necessary to provide for fee collection, as well as additional
ongoing costs for each instructional permit field office
transaction, call center inquiries, processing internet
transactions and requests for duplicate decals, and postage.
Staff notes that there are numerous bumper stickers, removable
decals, and magnets available on the open market that may be
affixed to a vehicle to indicate it is being operated by a
student driver or new driver. These are advertised at various
websites on the internet at prices ranging from $3 to $10.
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