SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 127
As Amended by House Committee on
Transportation

Brief*
SB 127, as amended, would amend laws related to
driver’s licenses.
The bill would add a commercial driver’s license (CDL)
to the driver’s licenses that could be renewed online, except if
the CDL has a hazardous materials endorsement. The bill
would require any person seeking to renew a CDL to provide
the Division of Vehicles, Department of Revenue (Division),
with a valid medical examiner’s certificate and proof of the
completion of the truckers against trafficking training (training
in human trafficking identification and prevention, required by
KSA 2020 Supp. 8-2,157) prior to the Division renewing the
CDL.
The bill would extend the maximum age for online
application for renewal of a driver’s license from less than
age 50 to less than age 65.
The bill would authorize the Division to send a notice of
driver’s license expiration or renewal application electronically
if authorized by the person at an electronic mail address
provided to the Division.
The bill would state a licensee whose driver’s license or
nondriver’s identification card expired after March 12, 2020,
and before March 31, 2021, would have until June 30, 2021,
to renew such license or identification card.
____________________
*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.kslegislature.org
 The bill would remove a condition of eligibility for
restricted driving privileges for a person whose driver’s
license expired while the license was suspended for failure to
pay fines for traffic citations: the person has not previously
received a stayed suspension as a result of a driving while
suspended conviction.
The bill would remove a nonrefundable $25 fee that
current law requires be submitted to the Division by an
applicant for restricted driving privileges in lieu of suspension
of driving privileges for failure to comply with a traffic citation.
The bill would make a technical amendment to the
period during which the Supreme Court is authorized to
impose an additional charge per reinstatement fee.
Continuing law requires a court to assess a $100
reinstatement fee when the court notifies the Division of
failure to comply with a traffic citation.
The bill would allow a person assessed a fine or court
costs for a traffic citation to petition the court to waive all or a
portion of the costs. The bill would authorize the court to
waive or modify payments upon determining that paying the
amount due would impose manifest hardship on the person
or their immediate family.
The bill would make technical changes and remove
outdated provisions.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.

Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Transportation at the request of the Director of Vehicles.
[Note: The bill contains modified or partial provisions of
2020 SB 326, as introduced; 2020 SB 342, as introduced;
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and 2020 SB 275, as amended by the House Committee on
Transportation.]

Senate Committee on Transportation
In the Senate Committee hearing, two representatives of
the Division of Vehicles (Division) provided proponent
testimony. The testimony indicated the change to eligibility for
a restricted driver’s license under certain circumstances
would make 650 individuals eligible for a restricted license. It
also was noted that federal law requires a criminal history
records check and additional checks when renewing a CDL
with a hazardous materials endorsement.
A representative of the Kansas Optometric Association
provided written-only proponent testimony regarding online
renewal of a driver’s license until age 65.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to state any
holder of a driver’s license or nondriver’s identification card
that expired after March 12, 2020, and before March 31,
2021, would have until June 30, 2021, to renew the driver’s
license or nondriver’s identification card; authorize online
renewal of certain CDLs; and change the effective date to be
upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Senate Committee of the Whole
The Senate Committee of the Whole amended the bill to
remove a requirement an applicant pay a fee when
requesting restricted driving privileges in lieu of driver’s
license suspension for failure to comply with a traffic citation.


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House Committee on Transportation
In the House Committee hearing, two representatives of
the Division and a representative of Kansas Legal Services
provided proponent testimony, indicating the bill would
expand the restricted driver’s license program by allowing
new participants, as there are currently 650 individuals who
would be eligible for the restricted license upon enactment of
the bill.
The Executive Director of the Kansas Optometric
Association provided written-only neutral testimony, providing
information on current vision requirements to obtain a driver’s
license in Kansas and indicating concerns that expanding the
age range will increase the number of individuals with health
problems renewing online.
No opponent testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill to allow a court
to waive or modify payments of fines or court costs upon
finding it would impose manifest hardship on the person or
their immediate family.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note provided by the Division of
the Budget on the bill as introduced, the Department of
Revenue estimates enactment of the bill would have no fiscal
effect on state revenues and would require $3,500 from the
State General Fund for FY 2022 to implement the bill and
modify the driver’s licensing system. Any fiscal effect
associated with enactment of the bill is not reflected in The
FY 2022 Governor’s Budget Report.
Driver's license; CDL; notices; fees


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Statutes affected:
As introduced: 8-2110b, 8-240, 8-247, 8-2110
As Amended by Senate Committee: 8-2110b, 8-240, 8-247, 8-1325, 8-2110
{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}: 8-2110b, 8-240, 8-247, 8-1325, 8-2110
As Amended by House Committee: 8-240, 8-247, 8-1325, 8-2110
Enrolled: 8-2110b, 8-240, 8-247, 8-262, 8-1325, 8-2110