H. B. 2790
(By Delegates Walters, Nesbitt, Harrison and Henderson)
[Introduced February 24, 1995; referred to the
Committee on Roads and Transportation then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section twelve, article two, chapter
seventeen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to motor vehicle
driver licenses; and when automatic renewal to be made.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section twelve, article two, chapter seventeen-b of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. ISSUANCE OF LICENSE, EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL.
§17B-2-12. Expiration of licenses; renewal; renewal fees.
(a) Every driver's license shall expire four years from the
date of its issuance, except that the driver's license of any person in the armed forces shall be extended for a period of six
months from the date the person is separated under honorable
circumstances from active duty in the armed forces.
(b) A person who allows such person's driver's license to
expire may apply to the division for renewal thereof.
Application shall be made upon a form furnished by the division
and shall be accompanied by payment of the fee required by
section eight of this article plus an additional fee of five
dollars. The commissioner shall determine whether such person
qualifies for a renewed license and may, in the commissioner's
discretion, renew any expired license without examination of the
applicant.
(c) Each renewal of a driver's license shall contain a new
color photograph of the licensee. By first class mail to the
address last known to the division, the commissioner shall notify
each person who holds a valid driver's license of the expiration
date of the license. The notice shall be mailed at least thirty
days prior to the expiration date of the license and shall
include a renewal application form.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to
the contrary, a person who has no points or violations against his driver's license, in the last five years prior to the renewal
date, shall have one automatic renewal of that driver's license
for a period of time equal to that of the driver's license being
renewed. The commissioner shall renew the driver's license, upon
receiving a renewal application and the payment of the fee
required by section eight of this article. The commissioner
shall furnish the driver a decal or any other device devised by
the commissioner, to be affixed to the driver's license, that
indicates the driver's license has been renewed. No new
photograph of the licensee may be required.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit a one-time
automatic renewal of a driver's license, if the licensee has no
points or other violations. A renewal sticker or decal is to be
affixed to the license. The renewal period is to be for a period
equal to the time of the license being renewed.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.