Bill would require MVA to give more weight to treating physicians’ reports and expedite review process
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Summary
HB646 would require the Motor Vehicle Administration to prioritize treating physicians’ reports in driver re‑licensing medical reviews, create an expedited permitting option and require MVA to audit administrative procedures, with a 2026‑12‑01 report deadline. Committee members pressed for privacy assurances and fiscal clarity.
Delegate Guyton told the committee HB646 is designed to make the MVA’s medical‑reporting and re‑licensing process more consistent and less burdensome for people who truthfully report medical conditions that do not impair driving.
The bill would instruct MVA to place greater weight on a treating physician’s statement that a condition does not affect driving, authorize MVA to seek additional information when warranted, and establish an expedited permitting process so people who must retake driving tests can access training permits more easily. The sponsor said the Medical Advisory Board (MAB) and MVA worked with her office; the MAB agreed to an internal audit requirement and a report back to the General Assembly by 2026‑12‑01 on plans to modernize and digitize administrative processes.
Senators asked how the Department of Corrections (sic — committee referenced agency roles) and MVA currently apply medical criteria and whether MVA or the MAB could keep medical information private. The sponsor said privacy protections exist under current rules, that the bill does not change data‑sharing authority and that she would work to strengthen confidentiality language if committee members requested it.
Committee members also questioned the bill’s fiscal note and whether MVA could absorb compliance costs. The sponsor said the house amendments and negotiations with the agency limited the fiscal impact and that the agency indicated it could implement some changes with limited additional resources; exact amounts were not provided in the hearing.
The committee heard no vote; the sponsor offered to provide the committee with the MAB materials and the draft amendments referenced during discussion.
