S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3707
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 7, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. EPSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in  relation  to  requiring
   applicants  for the renewal of a driver's license to complete a vision
   test
 
   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. 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 application 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 commission-
 er,  a  photo  image  of  the  applicant in such numbers and form as the
 commissioner shall prescribe. SUCH  PROOF  OF  ACCEPTABLE  VISION  SHALL
 REQUIRE  THE APPLICANT TO PASS A VISION TEST ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMIS-
 SIONER OR HIS OR HER AGENT, OR TO SUBMIT A CERTIFICATION,  SIGNED  BY  A
 PHYSICIAN, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, NURSE PRACTITIONER, OPTOMETRIST OR OPTI-
 CIAN,  ATTESTING  THAT  THE  APPLICANT  HAS ADEQUATE VISION TO OPERATE A
 MOTOR VEHICLE AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER. In addition, an  appli-
 cant  for  renewal of a license containing a hazardous material endorse-
 ment shall pass an examination to retain such endorsement.  The  commis-
 sioner  shall,  with  respect  to  the  renewal of a hazardous materials
 endorsement,  comply  with  the  requirements  imposed  upon  states  by
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07500-01-3
              

 A. 3707                             2
 
 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
 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.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.