HOUSE BILL 537
47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005
INTRODUCED BY
Greg Payne
AN ACT
RELATING TO DRIVER'S LICENSES; REQUIRING PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP OR PERMANENT LEGAL RESIDENCY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PERMITS, PROVISIONAL LICENSES AND DRIVER'S LICENSES; PROVIDING FOR A "CERTIFICATE FOR DRIVING" THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP OR PERMANENT LEGAL RESIDENCY BUT CANNOT BE USED FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
Section 1. Section 66-5-9 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978, Chapter 35, Section 231, as amended) is amended to read:
"66-5-9. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE, TEMPORARY LICENSE, PROVISIONAL LICENSE OR INSTRUCTION PERMIT.--
A. An application for an instruction permit, provisional license or driver's license shall be made upon a form furnished by the department. An application shall be accompanied by the proper fee. For permits, provisional licenses or driver's licenses other than those issued pursuant to the New Mexico Commercial Driver's License Act, submission of a complete application with payment of the fee entitles the applicant to not more than three attempts to pass the examination within a period of six months from the date of application.
B. An application shall contain the full name, social security number [or individual tax identification number], date of birth, sex and New Mexico residence address of the applicant and briefly describe the applicant and indicate whether the applicant has previously been licensed as a driver and, if so, when and by what state or country and whether any such license has ever been suspended or revoked or whether an application has ever been refused and, if so, the date of and reason for the suspension, revocation or refusal. [For foreign nationals applying for driver's licenses the secretary shall accept the individual taxpayer identification number as a substitute for a social security number regardless of immigration status.] An applicant shall provide with the application either an original or certified copy of documentation establishing that the applicant is a citizen of the United States or documentation issued by the federal government establishing that the applicant is a lawful permanent resident of the United States. The secretary is authorized to establish by regulation other documents that may be accepted as a substitute for a social security number [or an individual tax identification number].
C. An applicant shall indicate whether [he] the applicant has been convicted of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs in this state or in any other jurisdiction. Failure to disclose any such conviction prevents the issuance of a driver's license, provisional license, temporary license or instruction permit for a period of one year if the failure to disclose is discovered by the department prior to issuance. If the nondisclosure is discovered by the department subsequent to issuance, the department shall revoke the driver's license, provisional license, temporary license or instruction permit for a period of one year. Intentional and willful failure to disclose, as required in this subsection, is a misdemeanor.
D. An applicant less than eighteen years of age who is making an application to be granted [his] a first New Mexico driver's license shall submit evidence that [he] the applicant has:
(1) successfully completed a driver education course that included a DWI prevention and education program approved by the bureau or offered by a public school. The bureau may accept verification of driver education course completion from another state if the driver education course substantially meets the requirements of the bureau for a course offered in New Mexico;
(2) had a provisional license for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date of the application for the driver's license;
(3) complied with restrictions on that license;
(4) not been convicted of a traffic violation committed during the ninety days prior to applying for a driver's license;
(5) not been cited for a traffic violation that is pending at the time of [his] the application; and
(6) not been adjudicated for an offense involving the use of alcohol or drugs during the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date of the application for the driver's license and that there are no pending adjudications alleging an offense involving the use of alcohol or drugs at the time of [his] the application.
E. An applicant eighteen years of age and over, but less than twenty-five years of age, who is making an application to be granted [his] a first New Mexico driver's license shall submit evidence with [his] the application that [he] the applicant has successfully completed a bureau-approved DWI prevention and education program.
F. An applicant twenty-five years of age and over who has been convicted of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, and who is making an application to be granted [his] a first New Mexico driver's license, shall submit evidence with [his] the application that [he] the applicant has successfully completed a bureau-approved DWI prevention and education program.
G. Whenever application is received from a person previously licensed in another jurisdiction, the department may request a copy of the driver's record from the other jurisdiction. When received, the driver's record may become a part of the driver's record in this state with the same effect as though entered on the driver's record in this state in the original instance.
H. Whenever the department receives a request for a driver's record from another licensing jurisdiction, the record shall be forwarded without charge.
I. This section does not apply to driver's licenses issued pursuant to the New Mexico Commercial Driver's License Act."
Section 2. A new section of Chapter 66, Article 5 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] CERTIFICATE FOR DRIVING.--
A. A person who does not have a social security number and cannot document United States citizenship or lawful permanent residency in the United States as required in Section 66-5-9 NMSA 1978 may apply to the department, on a form provided by the department, for a "certificate for driving".
B. A certificate for driving shall be valid for one year from the date of issue.
C. A certificate for driving shall be clearly distinguishable from an instruction permit, a provisional license or a driver's license, and shall clearly display on its face the phrase: "FOR DRIVING PURPOSES ONLY — NOT VALID FOR IDENTIFICATION".
D. Except as provided in this section, the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Code that apply to instruction permits, provisional licenses and driver's licenses shall apply to certificates for driving."
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