SENATE BILL No. 682

 

 

September 16, 2003, Introduced by Senators CHERRY, BASHAM and BRATER and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Michigan vehicle code,"                                                    

                                                                                

    by amending sections 320a and 709 (MCL 257.320a and 257.709),               

                                                                                

    section 320a as amended by 2002 PA 149 and section 709 as amended           

                                                                                

    by 2000 PA 127.                                                             

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 320a.  (1) The secretary of state, within 10 days after                

                                                                                

2   the receipt of a properly prepared abstract from this or another            

                                                                                

3   state, shall record the date of conviction, civil infraction                

                                                                                

4   determination, or probate court disposition, and the number of              

                                                                                

5   points for each, based on the following formula, except as                  

                                                                                

6   otherwise provided in this section and section 629c:                        

                                                                                

7     (a) Manslaughter, negligent homicide, or a felony                         

                                                                                

8   resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle, ORV, or                    

                                                                                

9   snowmobile...............................................6 points           

                                                                                


                                                                                

                                                                                

1     (b) A violation of section 601b(2) or (3), 601c(1) or                     

                                                                                

2   (2), or 653a(3) or (4)...................................6 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

3     (c) A violation of section 625(1), (4), (5), or (7),                      

                                                                                

4   section 81134 or 82127(1) of the natural resources and                      

                                                                                

5   environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81134                    

                                                                                

6   and 324.82127, or a law or ordinance substantially                          

                                                                                

7   corresponding to section 625(1), (4), (5), or (7) or,                       

                                                                                

8   section 81134 or 82127(1) of the natural resources and                      

                                                                                

9   environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81134                    

                                                                                

10  and 324.82127............................................6 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

11    (d) Failing to stop and disclose identity at the scene                    

                                                                                

12  of an accident when required by law......................6 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

13    (e) Operating a motor vehicle in violation of section                     

                                                                                

14  626......................................................6 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

15    (f) Fleeing or eluding an officer..................... 6 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

16    (g) Violation of section 627(9) pertaining to speed in                    

                                                                                

17  a designated work area by exceeding the lawful maximum by                   

                                                                                

18  more than 15 miles per hour..............................5 points           

                                                                                

19    (h) Violation of any law other than the law described                     

                                                                                

20  in subdivision (g) or ordinance pertaining to speed by                      

                                                                                

21  exceeding the lawful maximum by more than 15 miles per                      

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   hour.....................................................4 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

2     (i) Violation of section 625(3) or (6), section 81135                     

                                                                                

3   or 82127(3) of the natural resources and environmental                      

                                                                                

4   protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81135 and 324.82127,                   

                                                                                

5   or a law or ordinance substantially corresponding to                        

                                                                                

6   section 625(3) or (6) or, section 81135 or 82127(3) of                      

                                                                                

7   the natural resources and environmental protection act,                     

                                                                                

8   1994 PA 451, MCL 324.81135 and 324.82127.................4 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

9     (j) Violation of section 626a or a law or ordinance                       

                                                                                

10  substantially corresponding to section 626a..............4 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

11    (k) Violation of section 653a(2)...................... 4 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

12    (l) Violation of section 627(9) pertaining to speed in                    

                                                                                

13  a designated work area by exceeding the lawful maximum by                   

                                                                                

14  more than 10 but not more than 15 miles per hour.........4 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

15    (m) Violation of any law other than the law described                     

                                                                                

16  in subdivision (l) or ordinance pertaining to speed by                      

                                                                                

17  exceeding the lawful maximum by more than 10 but not more                   

                                                                                

18  than 15 miles per hour or careless driving in violation                     

                                                                                

19  of section 626b or a law or ordinance substantially                         

                                                                                

20  corresponding to section 626b............................3 points           

                                                                                

21    (n) Violation of section 627(9) pertaining to speed in                    

                                                                                

22  a designated work area by exceeding the lawful maximum by                   


                                                                                

1   10 miles per hour or less................................3 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

2     (o) Violation of any law other than the law described                     

                                                                                

3   in subdivision (n) or ordinance pertaining to speed by                      

                                                                                

4   exceeding the lawful maximum by 10 miles per hour or less2 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

5     (p) Disobeying a traffic signal or stop sign, or                          

                                                                                

6   improper passing.........................................3 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

7     (q) Violation of section 624a, 624b, or a law or                          

                                                                                

8   ordinance substantially corresponding to section 624a or                    

                                                                                

9   624b.....................................................2 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

10    (r) Violation of section 310e(4) or (6) or a law or                       

                                                                                

11  ordinance substantially corresponding to section 310e(4)                    

                                                                                

12  or (6)...................................................2 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

13    (s) All other moving violations pertaining to the                         

                                                                                

14  operation of motor vehicles reported under this section..2 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

15    (t) A refusal by a person less than 21 years of age to                    

                                                                                

16  submit to a preliminary breath test required by a peace                     

                                                                                

17  officer under section 625a...............................2 points           

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

18    (u) Violation of section 709.......................... 2 points           

                                                                                

19      (2) Points shall not be entered for a violation of section                  

                                                                                

20  310e(14), 311, 625m, 658, 717, 719, 719a, or 723.                           


                                                                                

1       (3) Points shall not be entered for bond forfeitures.                       

                                                                                

2       (4) Points shall not be entered for overweight loads or for                 

                                                                                

3   defective equipment.                                                        

                                                                                

4       (5) If more than 1 conviction, civil infraction                             

                                                                                

5   determination, or probate court disposition results from the same           

                                                                                

6   incident, points shall be entered only for the violation that               

                                                                                

7   receives the highest number of points under this section.                   

                                                                                

8       (6) If a person has accumulated 9 points as provided in this                

                                                                                

9   section, the secretary of state may call the person in for an               

                                                                                

10  interview as to the person's driving ability and record after due           

                                                                                

11  notice as to time and place of the interview.  If the person                

                                                                                

12  fails to appear as provided in this subsection, the secretary of            

                                                                                

13  state shall add 3 points to the person's record.                            

                                                                                

14      (7) If a person violates a speed restriction established by                 

                                                                                

15  an executive order issued during a state of energy emergency as             

                                                                                

16  provided by 1982 PA 191, MCL 10.81 to 10.89, the secretary of               

                                                                                

17  state shall enter points for the violation pursuant to subsection           

                                                                                

18  (1).                                                                        

                                                                                

19      (8) The secretary of state shall enter 6 points upon the                    

                                                                                

20  record of a person whose license is suspended or denied pursuant            

                                                                                

21  to section 625f.  However, if a conviction, civil infraction                

                                                                                

22  determination, or probate court disposition results from the same           

                                                                                

23  incident, additional points for that offense shall not be                   

                                                                                

24  entered.                                                                    

                                                                                

25      (9) If a Michigan driver commits a violation in another state               

                                                                                

26  that would be a civil infraction if committed in Michigan, and a            

                                                                                

27  conviction results solely because of the failure of the Michigan            


                                                                                

1   driver to appear in that state to contest the violation, upon               

                                                                                

2   receipt of the abstract of conviction by the secretary of state,            

                                                                                

3   the violation shall be noted on the driver's record, but no                 

                                                                                

4   points shall be assessed against his or her driver's license.               

                                                                                

5       Sec. 709.  (1) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle with                

                                                                                

6   any of the following:                                                       

                                                                                

7       (a) A sign, poster, nontransparent material, window                         

                                                                                

8   application, reflective film, or nonreflective film upon or in              

                                                                                

9   the front windshield, the side windows immediately adjacent to              

                                                                                

10  the driver or front passenger, or the sidewings adjacent to and             

                                                                                

11  forward of the driver or front passenger, except that a tinted              

                                                                                

12  film may be used along the top edge of the windshield and the               

                                                                                

13  side windows or sidewings immediately adjacent to the driver or             

                                                                                

14  front passenger if the material does not extend more than 4                 

                                                                                

15  inches from the top of the windshield, or lower than the shade              

                                                                                

16  band, whichever is closer to the top of the windshield.                     

                                                                                

17      (b) A rear window or side window to the rear of the driver                  

                                                                                

18  composed of, covered by, or treated with a material that creates            

                                                                                

19  a total solar  reflectance  absorptance of 35% or more in the               

                                                                                

20  visible light range, including a silver or gold reflective film.            

                                                                                

21      (c) A dangling ornament or other suspended object that                      

                                                                                

22  obstructs the vision of the driver of the vehicle, except as                

                                                                                

23  authorized by law.                                                          

                                                                                

24      (2) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle if driver                      

                                                                                

25  visibility through the rear window is obstructed, unless the                

                                                                                

26  vehicle is equipped with 2 rearview mirrors, 1 on each side,                

                                                                                

27  adjusted so that the operator has a clear view of the highway               


                                                                                

1   behind the vehicle.                                                         

                                                                                

2       (3) This section shall not apply to:                                        

                                                                                

3       (a) The use of draperies, louvers, or other special window                  

                                                                                

4   treatments, except those specifically designated in this section,           

                                                                                

5   on the rear window, or a side window to the rear of the driver if           

                                                                                

6   the vehicle is equipped with 2 outside rearview mirrors, 1 on               

                                                                                

7   each side, adjusted so that the driver has a clear view of the              

                                                                                

8   highway behind the vehicle.                                                 

                                                                                

9       (b) The use of a nonreflective, smoked or tinted glass,                     

                                                                                

10  nonreflective film, perforated window screen, or other decorative           

                                                                                

11  window application on the rear window or a side window to the               

                                                                                

12  rear of the driver.                                                         

                                                                                

13      (c) The placement of a necessary certificate or sticker that                

                                                                                

14  does not obstruct the driver's clear view of the roadway or an              

                                                                                

15  intersecting roadway.                                                       

                                                                                

16      (d) A vehicle registered in another state, territory,                       

                                                                                

17  commonwealth of the United States, or another country or                    

                                                                                

18  province.                                                                   

                                                                                

19      (e) A special window treatment or application determined                    

                                                                                

20  necessary by a physician or optometrist, for the protection of a            

                                                                                

21  person who is light sensitive or photosensitive, if the owner or            

                                                                                

22  operator of a motor vehicle has in possession a letter signed by            

                                                                                

23  a physician or optometrist, indicating that the special window              

                                                                                

24  treatment or application is a medical necessity.  However, the              

                                                                                

25  special window treatment or application shall not interfere with            

                                                                                

26  or obstruct the driver's clear vision of the highway or an                  

                                                                                

27  intersecting highway.                                                       


                                                                                

1       (4) Except as provided in subsection (5), the windshield on                 

                                                                                

2   each motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning             

                                                                                

3   rain, snow, or other moisture from the windshield, which device             

                                                                                

4   shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the              

                                                                                

5   driver of the vehicle.  A vehicle licensed as an historical                 

                                                                                

6   vehicle is exempt from this subsection if the vehicle was not               

                                                                                

7   originally equipped with such a device.  Each windshield wiper              

                                                                                

8   upon a motor vehicle shall be maintained in good working order.             

                                                                                

9       (5) A truck with a gross weight over 10,000 pounds, a truck                 

                                                                                

10  tractor, a bus, or a truck regardless of weight carrying                    

                                                                                

11  hazardous materials on which a placard is required to be posted             

                                                                                

12  pursuant to 49 C.F.R.  parts 100 to 199 having a windshield shall           

                                                                                

13  be equipped with not less than 2 automatically operating                    

                                                                                

14  windshield wiper blades, 1 on each side of the centerline of the            

                                                                                

15  windshield, for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture from the             

                                                                                

16  windshield.  The blades shall be in such condition as to provide            

                                                                                

17  clear vision for the driver, unless 1 blade is so arranged as to            

                                                                                

18  clean an area of the windshield extending to within 1 inch of the           

                                                                                

19  limit of vision through the windshield at each side.  However, in           

                                                                                

20  driveaway-towaway operations, this subsection shall apply only to           

                                                                                

21  the driven vehicle.  In addition, 1 windshield wiper blade                  

                                                                                

22  suffices under this subsection when the driven vehicle in a                 

                                                                                

23  driveaway-towaway operation constitutes part or all of the                  

                                                                                

24  property being transported and has no provision for 2 blades.  A            

                                                                                

25  truck and truck tractor, manufactured after June 30, 1953, that             

                                                                                

26  depends upon vacuum to operate the windshield wipers, shall be so           

                                                                                

27  constructed that the operation of the wipers is not materially              


                                                                                

1   impaired by change in the intake manifold pressure.                         

                                                                                

2       (6) A truck with a gross weight over 10,000 pounds, a truck                 

                                                                                

3   tractor, a bus, or a truck regardless of weight carrying                    

                                                                                

4   hazardous materials on which a placard is required to be posted             

                                                                                

5   pursuant to 49 C.F.R.  parts 100 to 199 shall not be operated on            

                                                                                

6   the highways at any time unless it is equipped with a hot air               

                                                                                

7   windshield defroster or an electrically heated windshield or                

                                                                                

8   other device to heat and maintain the windshield in operable                

                                                                                

9   condition at all times.                                                     

                                                                                

10      (7) As used in this section:                                                

                                                                                

11      (a) "Physician" means that term as defined in section 17001                 

                                                                                

12  or 17501 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17001              

                                                                                

13  and 333.17501.                                                              

                                                                                

14      (b) "Optometrist" means that term as defined in section 17401               

                                                                                

15  of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17401.