S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7766
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 21, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. NIOU -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law,  in  relation  to  automat-
   ically extending the renewal of driver's licenses and non-driver iden-
   tification cards
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 of section 502 of the  vehi-
 cle  and  traffic  law, as amended by chapter 37 of the laws of 2019, is
 amended to read as follows:
   (a) A license issued pursuant to  subdivision  five  of  this  section
 shall  be valid until the expiration date contained thereon, unless such
 license is suspended, revoked or cancelled, PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  THAT  IF
 THE EXPIRATION OF A LICENSE OCCURS DURING THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY OR TWO
 THOUSAND  TWENTY-ONE  CALENDAR  YEAR,  SUCH  LICENSE SHALL AUTOMATICALLY
 RENEW AND BE VALID FOR TWO  YEARS  FROM  THE  EXPIRATION  DATE  OF  SUCH
 LICENSE. Such license may be renewed by submission of an application for
 renewal,  the  fee prescribed by law, proofs of prior licensing, fitness
 and acceptable vision prescribed by the  commissioner,  the  applicant's
 social  security number or, in lieu thereof, with respect to an applica-
 tion for a non-commercial driver's license  or  learner's  permit  which
 does  not meet federal standards for identification, an affidavit signed
 by such applicant that they have  not  been  issued  a  social  security
 number, and if required by the commissioner, a photo image of the appli-
 cant  in  such  numbers and form as the commissioner shall prescribe. In
 addition, an applicant for renewal of a license containing  a  hazardous
 material  endorsement  shall pass an examination to retain such endorse-
 ment. The commissioner shall, with respect to the renewal of a hazardous
 materials endorsement, comply with the requirements imposed upon  states
 by sections 383.141 and 1572.13 of title 49 of the code of federal regu-
 lations.  A  renewal of such license shall be issued by the commissioner
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10811-01-1

 A. 7766                             2
 
 upon approval of such application, except that no such license shall  be
 issued  if  its  issuance  would  be inconsistent with the provisions of
 section five hundred sixteen of this title, and except that the  commis-
 sioner  may  refuse to renew such license if the applicant is the holder
 of a currently valid or renewable license to  drive  issued  by  another
 state or foreign country unless the applicant surrenders such license.
   §  2.  Subdivision 1 of section 491 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended by chapter 580 of the laws  of  1994,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   1.  Period of validity. An identification card shall be valid from the
 date  of issuance until the date of expiration determined by the commis-
 sioner, except that (a) any person sixty-two years of age  or  older  or
 (b)  any  recipient  of supplemental security income benefits defined in
 section two hundred eight of the social services law, shall be  eligible
 for a card which expires ten years after the date of issuance, PROVIDED,
 HOWEVER,  THAT IF THE EXPIRATION OF AN IDENTIFICATION CARD OCCURS DURING
 THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY OR TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE CALENDAR  YEAR,  SUCH
 IDENTIFICATION CARD SHALL AUTOMATICALLY RENEW AND BE VALID FOR TWO YEARS
 FROM  THE  DATE OF EXPIRATION OF SUCH IDENTIFICATION CARD. Such dates of
 issuance and expiration shall  be  noted  on  the  identification  card.
 However, the prior identification card shall expire on the date of issu-
 ance  of  a  renewal of such prior identification card. The commissioner
 may extend the period of validity of an identification card in a  manner
 and form prescribed by the commissioner.
   §  3.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
 have been in full force and effect on and after January 1, 2020.