SACRAMENTO, CA NEW MOTORCYCLE LAWS

OFF THE WIRE

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=112190&provider=top
SACRAMENTO, CA - Drivers under 21 who want a permit for a motorcycle will need to complete a safety course under a new law announced by the Department of Motor Vehicles Wednesday.

The law means that anyone younger than 21 will have to complete a motorcycle safety course before they can get a permit to practice driving a motorcycle. They'll need to have the permit for six months before they'll be issued a class M motorcycle driver license.

Other laws that take effect January 2 and announced by the DMV include:

- Traffic Violator School Program: Drivers with traffic violations will be able to take court-approved courses online and at home in addition to going to traditional classrooms. This law will take three years to implement.

- High-Occupancy Vehicle Lanes: Instead of expiring on January 1, 2011, the "sunset" date for hybrid vehicles with yellow stickers will expire on July 1, 2011. Those with white stickers (on electric and compressed natural gas vehicles) will expire on January 1, 2015. A third sticker will be created for plug-in hybrids. It will be valid from January 1, 2012 until January 1, 2015.

- New Firefighter Endorsement: The law will make operators of firefighting vehicles exempt from the Commercial Driver License program and will create a new license endorsement process.

Laws that take effect July 1 or later include:

- Organ donation: The application for a driver's license will include a "no" option when asking whether an applicant wants to register as a possible organ donor, and applicants will have to answer with either a yes or a no in the organ donation registration field.

- Local traffic ordinances: Local authorities will not be able to enact or enforce a local ordinance on a matter covered by the California Vehicle Code. The new law is an effort to ensure that traffic convictions are properly recorded by the DMV.

- Driving Under the Influence: Starting January 1, 2012, drivers convicted of a third or subsequent DUI violation could lose their licenses for 10 years. Reinstatement will be possible after five years if specific conditions are met.