DRIVER LICENSE: EMERGENCY CONTACT                              H.B. 4459 (H-2) & 4460 (H-2):

                                                                               SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

House Bill 4459 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)

House Bill 4460 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)

Sponsor:  Representative Peter J. Lucido

House Committee:  Transportation and Infrastructure

Senate Committee:  Transportation

Date Completed:  9-8-15

CONTENT

House Bills 4459 (H-2) and 4460 (H-2) would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code and Public Act 22 of 1972 (which provides for the issuance of an official State personal identification card), respectively, to allow, upon request of the applicant, a digitized driver license or an ID card to contain emergency contact information appearing in electronic or machine-readable codes.

The bills specify that the Secretary of State would not be required to produce a license or official State identification card containing emergency contact information until the date that digitized licenses and identification cards were manufactured under a new multiyear contract with a third-party vendor for the manufacture of digitized licenses or identification cards.

The bills would define "emergency contact information" as the name, telephone number, and address of an individual whom the licensee wishes to be contacted in the event of an emergency.

MCL 257.310 (H.B. 4459)                                           Legislative Analyst:  Ryan M. Bergan

       28.292 (H.B. 4460)

FISCAL IMPACT

The bills would have a minimal fiscal impact on the Department of State; however, the cost is indeterminate.  According to the Department, the bills would require it to reprogram driver license and personal identification card software to include emergency contact information.  The anticipated cost of reprogramming would be spread over the next several fiscal years as the Department's current contract for the manufacture of driver licenses and personal identification cards is set to expire in 2018.  At that time, the Department will convert to a digitized driver license and personal identification card system and, as proposed in the bills, would be required to include emergency contact information on those licenses and identification cars upon request.

The actual cost for programming is indeterminate and dependent on the contract costs that are ultimately agreed upon after the current contract expires in 2018.  The Department anticipates that the costs could be absorbed within annual appropriations; however, if contract costs are higher than anticipated, additional appropriations could become necessary in future years to pay for the additional programming costs associated with the bills' requirements.

The bills would have no fiscal impact on local government.

                                                                                       Fiscal Analyst:  Joe Carrasco

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.