AB 177

Current law prohibits a person from operating a motor vehicle on the highway

during any period in which the person's motor vehicle operating privilege is

suspended (OWS) or revoked (OAR) or the person is disqualified from operating a

commercial motor vehicle (OWD). A court may suspend a person's operating

privilege for any period not exceeding six months upon the person's conviction for

OAR, OWS, or OWD. However, a court must revoke a person's operating privilege,

for a period of six months or less, upon the person's conviction for OAR, OWS, or OWD

if the person has been convicted of three or more prior violations of OAR, OWS, or

OWD within the preceding five-year period. In addition, the Department of

Transportation (DOT) must administratively revoke a person's operating privilege,

for a period of six months unless the court has ordered a revocation for a lesser period,

upon receiving a record of conviction showing that the person has been convicted of

OAR, OWS, or OWD if the person has been convicted of three or more prior violations

of OAR, OWS, or OWD within the preceding five-year period.

This bill makes court-ordered operating privilege revocation for a fourth

offense OAR, OWS, or OWD permissive rather than mandatory and eliminates the

requirement that DOT administratively revoke a person's operating privilege for a

fourth offense OAR, OWS, or OWD.