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Senate advances driver-licensing bill requiring older drivers to renew in person
Summary
Senate Bill 11, proposing in-person renewal for drivers of advanced age (committee amended the threshold to 80), was debated on safety data and fiscal notes and moved to third reading after sponsor provided statistics and pledged more evidence for the next hearing.
Senate Bill 11, a driver-licensing proposal sponsored by Senator Peterson, was debated on Jan. 25 and advanced to the third-reading calendar after an extended floor discussion about safety data, age thresholds and fiscal implications.
Peterson told colleagues the measure is not intended to strip licenses but to require in-person renewal at an advanced age rather than permit mail renewal. "All I'm doing is saying that a certain age, an individual can no longer mail in a renewal," Peterson said, explaining the committee raised the age to 80. He cited data showing older drivers have higher rates of certain crash types and higher hospitalization costs after crashes; among the figures noted was an average hospital charge per hospitalized older driver of about $15,762 and an average crash charge of $647.
Colleagues asked for additional justification for the chosen age and whether the fiscal note and any constitutional concerns had been fully developed; Senator Hilliard and others asked that Peterson provide the graphs and statistics on the third reading. Peterson agreed to provide the supporting charts and to work with staff on a revised fiscal note.
The Senate called the question and moved SB11 to the third-reading calendar for later consideration. No final substantive change was adopted on the floor beyond the committee amendment raising the age threshold; senators directed staff to prepare more detailed fiscal and evidentiary material for the bill's next appearance.
