(132nd General Assembly)

(Substitute House Bill Number 336)

AN ACT

To require the registrar of motor vehicles to establish a six month driver's license reinstatement fee debt reduction and amnesty program and to name this act the Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Initiative.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

Section 1. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible offense" means an offense under any of the following Revised Code sections if the offense, an essential element of the offense, the basis of the charge, or any underlying offense did not involve alcohol, a drug of abuse, combination thereof, or a deadly weapon: 2151.354, 2152.19, 2152.21, 2907.24, 2913.02, 4507.20, 4509.101, 4509.17, 4509.24, 4509.40, 4510.037, 4510.05, 4510.06, 4510.15, 4510.22, 4510.23, 4510.31, 4510.32, 4511.203, 4511.205, 4511.251, 4511.75, 4549.02, 4549.021, and 5743.99.

(2) "Deadly weapon" has the same meaning as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Drug of abuse" has the same meaning as in section 4511.181 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Complete amnesty" means a waiver of reinstatement fees.

(5) "Driver's license or permit" does not include a commercial driver's license or permit.

(6) "Indigent" means a person who is a participant in the supplemental nutrition assistance program administered by the department of job and family services pursuant to section 5101.54 of the Revised Code.

(B) Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles shall establish a driver's license reinstatement fee debt reduction and amnesty program. The program shall immediately terminate six months after that effective date.

(C) During the period the program is in operation, both of the following apply:

(1) A person whose driver's license or permit has been suspended as a result of an eligible offense may apply to the Registrar for driver's license reinstatement fee debt reduction if the person has completed all court-ordered sanctions related to the eligible offense other than the payment of reinstatement fees and at least eighteen months have expired since the end of the period of suspension ordered by the court.

(2) A person whose driver's license or permit has been suspended as a result of an eligible offense may apply to the Registrar for complete amnesty if the person has completed all court-ordered sanctions related to the eligible offense other than the payment of reinstatement fees, and the person is indigent and can demonstrate proof of indigence by providing documentation in a form approved by the Registrar.

(D)(1) The Registrar shall grant reinstatement fee debt reduction to a person who is eligible under division (C)(1) of this section as follows:

(a) If the person owes reinstatement fees for multiple eligible offenses, the person shall be required to pay either the lowest reinstatement fee owed for those offenses or ten per cent of the total amount owed for those offenses, whichever amount is greater.

(b) If the person owes reinstatement fees for one eligible offense, the person shall be required to pay one-half of the reinstatement fee owed for that offense.

(2) The Registrar shall grant complete amnesty to a person eligible under division (C)(2) of this section.

(E) The Registrar shall conduct a public service announcement regarding the driver's license reinstatement fee debt reduction and amnesty program that includes a description of the program and its requirements. In addition, the Registrar shall make such information available on the Bureau of Motor Vehicle's web site.

(F) The Registrar may establish any requirements and procedures necessary to administer and implement this section.

Section 2. This act shall be known as the Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Initiative.

Speaker ___________________ of the House of Representatives.

President ___________________ of the Senate.

Passed ________________________, 20____

Approved ________________________, 20____

Governor.

This act is not of a general and permanent nature and does not require a code section number.

Director, Legislative Service Commission.

Filed in the office of the Secretary of State at Columbus, Ohio, on the ____ day of ___________, A. D. 20____.

Secretary of State.

File No. _________ Effective Date ___________________