Brief ⁽¹⁾

SB 55 relates to medical and vision requirements for drivers' licenses. The bill would:

• Require applicants to be both seizure free for six months and have a physician's written recommendation, on a report not more than three months old, that the applicant's condition is controlled;
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• Provide that in cases where a seizure disorder is not controlled the Director of Vehicles or the Medical Advisory Board may recommend that the person be issued a restricted driver's license;
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• Allow the Director of Vehicles to submit any case to the Medical Advisory Board, not just drivers who have had their license suspended or revoked; and
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• Limit the corrective lens requirement to standard lenses only.

A Committee of the Whole amendment would define a seizure disorder to mean that a licensee has sustained a seizure involving a loss of consciousness not simply an alteration of consciousness.

The effective date of the bill would be July 1, 2001.

Background

SB 55 was requested by the Department of Revenue. The Director of Vehicles testified that the bill will more adequately define medical and vision standards required to hold a Kansas driver's license. She also provided the following information:

• 34 states have some sort of telescopic lens requirement;
• in 18 states, bioptic telescopes are not recognized to meet visual standards;
• two states prohibit the use of telescopic lenses when driving;
• eight states permit telescopic lenses with a specific visual acuity limit;
• four states require a road test;
• one state requires an annual renewal; and
• one state requires special training.
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The Director also requested an amendment which would provide that in cases where a seizure disorder is not controlled, the Director of Vehicles or the Medical Advisory Board would be allowed to recommend that the person be issued a restricted license.

The Committee of the Whole amendment pertains to the alteration of consciousness of a licensee as noted in the brief.

The other conferee was the Director of Envision. He proposed an amendment which would have stated that an observed disability affecting eyesight would not be considered good cause to believe that a driver's license applicant is not competent to drive a motor vehicle, if the applicant presented a statement by a physician or optometrist, documenting that the disabling condition had not worsened since the applicant's most recent renewal or issuance of a driver's license.

The Department of Revenue indicates that passage of this bill would not affect State Highway Fund revenues.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext.cgi