House transportation committee advances multiple DMV and licensing bills, extends learner‑permit timeframe
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Summary
The committee reported a series of DMV and licensing bills, including extending a learner‑permit period to 90 days for certain first‑time drivers, authorizing revenue‑sharing special plates, and moving consumer‑protection and enforcement measures forward; several bills were stricken from the docket.
The House Committee on Transportation received several Department of Motor Vehicles subcommittee reports and advanced a batch of mostly noncontroversial measures affecting license validity, specialty plates and consumer recovery remedies.
Elliot Sewell, chair of the DMV subcommittee, moved reporting recommendations on multiple bills. Highlights included House Bill 9 11 (patron: Delegate Lopez), a substitute to extend the validity of limited‑duration licenses, driver‑privilege cards and permits and to make changes related to REAL ID requirements; the subcommittee reported the substitute (record shows a subcommittee vote noted as "15 2 5").
House Bill 12 24 (patron: Delegate Delaney) was reported with amendments to expand the required learner‑permit period from 60 to 90 days for first‑time noncommercial license applicants age 18–21, require completion of a driver instruction course before issuance of a first license, and add temporary‑license provisions for certain learner permits; the substitute contains a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2027. The subcommittee recommended reporting with amendments (9–0).
Other items included conversion of a Virginia Realtors plate to a revenue‑sharing plate benefiting the Realtors disaster relief fund (HB 13 39), passage of an amended consumer‑recovery measure (HB 13 86) allowing certain judgment recovery from the motor vehicle transaction recovery fund, and continuation or striking of several bills (for example, HB 13 71 was continued to 2027; HB 14 94 was stricken at the patron's request). The committee recorded roll‑calls and voice votes as the clerk opened and closed the roll for each item.
Most of the DMV subcommittee items were moved and seconded with short discussion; the clerk recorded each bill as reported or continued as indicated in the transcript.