SB 626

This bill changes certain penalties and requirements related to operating a

motor vehicle without sufficient liability insurance, provides for impoundment of

motor vehicles used in certain crimes, expands the coverage of certain crimes related

to operating a motor vehicle without a license, and requires a valid driver's license

to register a motor vehicle.

Liability insurance requirement

Current law prohibits, with certain exceptions, a person from operating a motor

vehicle on a highway unless the vehicle owner or operator has in effect a sufficient

motor vehicle liability insurance policy with respect to the motor vehicle. Any person

who violates this requirement may be required to forfeit not more than $500.

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

unless the person has in his or her immediate possession proof that he or she is in

compliance with the insurance requirement.

Under this bill, persons who are operating a motor vehicle on certain

nonhighway areas, including certain parking areas, are also required to have in

effect insurance with respect to the motor vehicle.

This bill repeals the requirement that a person have in his or her immediate

possession proof of compliance with insurance requirements. However, under this

bill, a traffic officer must cite a person for operating without insurance if the traffic

officer does not know that the person is in compliance with the insurance

requirements and the person does not have in his or her immediate possession proof

of compliance. A person, though, may not be convicted of operating without

insurance if the person produces proof that he or she was in compliance with the

insurance requirements at the time he or she was issued a citation for a violation.

This bill also alters the penalties for operating without insurance. Under this

bill, a person who violates the requirement that the owner or operator of a motor

vehicle be insured is subject to the following penalties:

1. A forfeiture of $100 for a first offense.

2. A forfeiture of not less than $250 nor more than $750 for a second or

subsequent offense occurring within three years.

3. If the person, in the course of a second or subsequent violation, causes great

bodily harm to another, a forfeiture of not less than $250 nor more than $2,500.

4. If the person, in the course of a violation, causes the death of another, a

forfeiture of not less than $500 nor more than $7,500.

This bill also provides that, for a first offense, if a person obtains sufficient

motor vehicle liability insurance before the person's appearance in court, the court

may not impose a penalty.

This bill also eliminates the exemption of operating without insurance offenses

from certain surcharges and fees that generally must be paid by persons who violate

traffic laws.