AB 2724: Inmates: driver’s licenses.

Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure that all eligible inmates released from state prisons have valid identification cards issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Existing law defines eligible inmate for those purposes.

This bill would require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to work with and the Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure that all eligible inmates released from state prisons inmates, as defined, have the privilege to operate a motor vehicle. vehicle upon release from state prison. The bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide an eligible inmate with a specified form to renew his or her drivers license by mail, upon request. The bill would provide that in the event the inmate has unpaid fines and penalties if a person has a suspended drivers license as a result of delinquent court-ordered debt that would otherwise be required to be paid before issuance of a drivers license, the Department of Motor Vehicles is required to issue a restricted drivers license would be issued and restricted to only allowing, among other things, necessary travel to and from work, to attend school, or to comply with conditions of release. The bill would require the person to make payments for unpaid fines or penalties to eliminate or reduce any delinquent court-ordered debt during the time that his or her drivers license is restricted and would provide that the restriction would be lifted once the fines and penalties are paid off, and the person has otherwise complied with these provisions. The bill would define eligible inmate for those purposes. person has paid the amount due for delinquent court-ordered debt. The bill would prohibit a penalty fee from being assessed to obtain a restricted drivers license pursuant to these provisions.