D.C. Law 21-187. Driver's License Fair Access and Equality Amendment Act of 2016.

AN ACT

To amend the Language Access Act of 2004 to provide that written materials made available to the public by the Department of Motor Vehicles relating to obtaining or renewing a license, permit, or identification card, including examinations, study guides, and other similar materials, are vital documents; to amend the District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925 to provide that the Department of Motor Vehicles shall not require an applicant to complete a course of driver instruction before the issuance of a license or permit, unless the required course of driver instruction is available without charge to all public school students, public charter school students, and low-income applicants, and to require that the procedures for obtaining a limited purpose driver's license, permit, or identification card be substantially similar to the procedures for obtaining a non-limited purpose driver's license, permit, or identification card, unless other procedures are specifically required by law.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Driver's License Fair Access and Equality Amendment Act of 2016".

Sec. 2. Section 2(7) of the Language Access Act of 2004, effective June 19, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-167; D.C. Official Code § 2-1931(7)), is amended by striking the phrase "and instructions." and inserting the phrase "and instructions. The term "vital documents" shall include all written materials that the Department of Motor Vehicle makes available to the public relating to obtaining or renewing a license, permit, or identification card under sections 7, 8a, or 8c of the District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, approved March 3, 1925 (43 Stat. 1119; D.C. Official Code § 50-1401.01, § 50-1401.03, or § 50-1401.05), including application forms, study guides, examinations, and other similar materials." in its place.

Sec. 3. The District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, approved March 3, 1925 (43 Stat. 1119; codified in scattered cites of the D.C. Official Code), is amended as follows:

(a) Section 7 (D.C. Official Code § 50-1401.01) is amended by adding a new subsection (h) to read as follows:

"(h)(1) The Department shall not require an applicant to complete a course of driver instruction before the issuance of a license or permit under this section, section 8a, or section 8c, unless the required course of driver's instruction is available without charge to all:

"(A) Public school students and public charter school students; and

"(B) Low-income applicants.

"(2) At least 90 days before requiring a course of driver instruction pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall issue rules to implement paragraph (1) of this subsection. The proposed rules shall be submitted to the Council for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed rules by resolution within the 45-day period, the proposed rules shall be deemed approved. ".

(b) Section 8c (D.C. Official Code § 50-1401.05) is amended by adding a new subsection (j) to read as follows:

"(j) Unless otherwise provided in this section, the procedures for obtaining a limited purpose driver's license, permit, or identification card under this section, including policies pertaining to walk-in applicants, shall be substantially similar to the procedures for obtaining a non-limited purpose driver's license, permit, or identification card, respectively, under section 7 or section 8a.".

Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 5. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.