SB 924 — AN ACT CONCERNING MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION NOTICE, THE INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION PLAN, CARRIERS, SCHOOL BUSES, THE MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD, RESERVED PARKING SPACES, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLE STATUTES.

Sec.

11.

Subsections (e) and (f) of section 14-253a of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

(e) Vehicles displaying a special license plate or a placard issued pursuant to this section or by authorities of other states or countries for the purpose of identifying vehicles permitted to utilize parking spaces reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities, shall be allowed to park in an area where parking is legally permissible, for an unlimited period of time without penalty, notwithstanding the period of time indicated as lawful by any (1) parking meter, or (2) sign erected and maintained in accordance with the provisions of chapter 249, provided the operator of or a passenger in such motor vehicle is a LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00915 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 person who is blind or a person with disabilities.

A placard shall not be displayed on any motor vehicle when such vehicle is not being operated by or carrying as a passenger a person who is blind or a person with disabilities to whom the placard was issued.

Vehicles bearing a special license plate shall not utilize parking spaces reserved for persons who are blind and persons with disabilities or the cross hatch abutting such spaces when such vehicles are not being operated by or carrying as a passenger a person who is blind or a person with disabilities to whom such special license plate was issued.

(f) Only [those] motor vehicles displaying a plate or placard issued pursuant to this section shall be authorized to (1) park in public or private areas reserved for exclusive use by persons who are blind or persons with disabilities, and (2) to use the cross hatch abutting such areas, except that any ambulance, as defined in section 19a-175, which is transporting a patient may park in such area for a period not to exceed fifteen minutes while assisting such patient.

Any motor vehicle parked or using the cross hatch in violation of the provisions of this subsection for the third or subsequent time shall be subject to being towed from such designated area.

Such vehicle shall be impounded until payment of any fines incurred is received.

No person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of leasing or renting motor vehicles without drivers in this state may be held liable for any acts of the lessee constituting a violation of the provisions of this subsection.

Any municipal police officer who observes a motor vehicle parked in violation of this subsection shall issue a written warning or a summons for such violation.

Sec.

12.

Subsection (l) of section 14-253a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

(l) (1) Any person who violates any provision of this section for which a penalty or fine is not otherwise provided shall, for a first violation, be subject to a fine of [one] two hundred fifty dollars, and for a subsequent violation, be subject to a fine of [two] five hundred [fifty] LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0016 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 dollars.

(2) No owner or lessee of a private parking area subject to the requirements of this section, or an agent of such owner or lessee, shall dump, or allow any other person to dump, or otherwise place accumulated snow in a special parking space reserved as required in this section.

Any owner, lessee or agent who violates the provisions of this subdivision shall, for a first violation, be subject to a fine of [one] two hundred fifty dollars, and for a subsequent violation, be subject to a fine of [two] five hundred [fifty] dollars.

Sec.

13.

Section 13b-344a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

No person shall cross railroad tracks at a designated railroad grade crossing when warned by an automatic signal, crossing gates, flagman or law enforcement officer of the approach of a railroad locomotive, a railroad car or train or other equipment on the railroad tracks or when otherwise warned of the approach of such [a] locomotive, car or train or equipment.

Violation of this section shall be an infraction.

Sec.

14.

(Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study compliance with motor vehicle registration laws and make recommendations to prevent Connecticut residents from registering motor vehicles in another state while residing in Connecticut.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom is a member of an association that represents municipal tax assessors;

(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom is a municipal police chief;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who is a municipal tax assessor that serves a LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0017 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 municipality with seventy-five thousand residents or more;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a member of a municipal police department that serves a municipality with seventy-five thousand residents or more;

(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who is a member of a municipal police department that serves a municipality with less than seventy-five thousand residents;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a municipal tax assessor that serves a municipality with less than seventy-five thousand residents;

(7) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or the commissioner's designee;

(8) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or the commissioner's designee;

and (9) Two persons appointed by the Governor.

(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section.

Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force.

Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.

(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0018 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(g) Not later than January 1, 2020, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.

The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2020, whichever is later.

Sec.

15.

Subsection (c) of section 14-296aa of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

(c) No person shall use a hand-held mobile telephone or other electronic device, including those with hands-free accessories, or a mobile electronic device while operating a school bus that is carrying passengers, except that this subsection shall not apply [to (1) a school bus driver who] when such person (1) places an emergency call to school officials, [or] (2) [the use of] uses a hand-held mobile telephone as provided in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section, or (3) uses a hand-held mobile telephone or mobile electronic device in a manner similar to a two-way radio to allow real- time communication with a school official, an emergency response operator, a hospital, physician's office or health clinic, an ambulance company, a fire department or a police department.

Sec.

16.

Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-18 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2019):

(2) Each motor vehicle for which two number plates have been issued shall, while in use or operation upon any public highway, display the number plates in a conspicuous place at the front and the rear of such vehicle, [the number plates] except a motor vehicle that was manufactured without a designated place and mounting LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0019 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 hardware for a number plate on the front of such motor vehicle may display a number plate in a conspicuous place only at the rear of such vehicle provided, if electronic tolling systems are implemented on the highways of the state, the owner or operator of such vehicle purchases and installs a transponder or similar device issued by the state in such vehicle.

The commissioner may issue a sticker denoting the expiration date of the registration.

Such sticker shall be displayed in such place on the vehicle as the commissioner may direct.

Such sticker may contain the corresponding letters and numbers of the number plate issued by the commissioner.

Sec.

17.

(NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioners of Administrative Services and Motor Vehicles shall jointly study the current system used to evaluate motor carriers that provide or seek to provide commercial motor vehicle services to the state or any municipality and make recommendations to make such system more efficient.

Not later than January 1, 2020, the commissioner shall submit a report of the results of such study to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.

Sec.

18.

Section 13a-260 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Fully autonomous vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is equipped with an automated driving system, designed to function without an operator and classified as level four or level five by SAE J3016;

(2) "Automated driving system" means the hardware and software that are collectively capable of performing the entire dynamic driving task on a sustained basis, regardless of whether the automated driving system is limited to a specific operational design domain;

LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0020 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 (3) "Dynamic driving task" means the real-time operational and tactical functions required to operate a motor vehicle on highways, excluding the strategic functions such as trip scheduling and selection of destinations and waypoints;

(4) "Operational design domain" means a description of the operating domains in which an automated driving system is designed to function, including, but not limited to, geographic, roadway, environmental and speed limitations;

(5) "SAE J3016" means the "Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles" published by SAE International in September 2016;

(6) "Operator" means the person [seated in the driver's seat of a] who causes the automated driving system to engage while physically inside the fully autonomous vehicle;

(7) "Autonomous vehicle tester" means an autonomous vehicle manufacturer, institution of higher education, fleet service provider or automotive equipment or technology provider;

(8) "Fleet service provider" means a person or entity that owns or leases a fully autonomous vehicle and operates such fully autonomous vehicle for commercial or public use;

(9) "Autonomous vehicle manufacturer" means:

(A) A person or entity that builds or sells fully autonomous vehicles;

(B) a person or entity that installs automated driving systems in motor vehicles that are not originally built as fully autonomous vehicles;

or (C) a person or entity that develops automated driving systems in fully autonomous vehicles or motor vehicles that are not originally built as fully autonomous vehicles;

(10) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management;

and LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0021 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 (11) "Highway", "limited access highway" and "operator's license" have the same meanings as defined in section 14-1.

(b) The Office of Policy and Management, in consultation with the Departments of Motor Vehicles, Transportation and Emergency Services and Public Protection, shall establish a pilot program for not more than four municipalities to allow autonomous vehicle testers to test fully autonomous vehicles on the highways of such municipalities.

Municipalities shall apply to the Secretary of the Office of Policy Management in the manner and form directed by the secretary for inclusion in the pilot program.

The secretary shall select at least one municipality with a population of at least one hundred twenty thousand, but not more than one hundred twenty-four thousand, and one municipality with a population of at least one hundred thousand, as enumerated in the 2010 federal decennial census.

(c) The chief elected official or chief executive officer of a municipality selected by the secretary shall select and enter into a written agreement with an autonomous vehicle tester or autonomous vehicle testers to test fully autonomous vehicles on the highways of the municipality.

Such agreement shall, at a minimum:

(1) Specify the locations and routes where such fully autonomous vehicles may operate;

(2) prohibit the operation of such fully autonomous vehicles outside such locations and routes except in the case of an emergency;

(3) identify each fully autonomous vehicle to be tested by vehicle identification number, make, year and model;

and (4) specify the hours of operation of such fully autonomous vehicles.

(d) An autonomous vehicle tester shall not test a fully autonomous vehicle in a municipality unless:

(1) The operator is:

(A) [Seated in the driver's seat of] Physically inside the fully autonomous vehicle;

(B) monitoring the operation of such fully autonomous vehicle;

(C) capable of taking immediate manual control of such fully autonomous vehicle;

(D) an employee, independent contractor or other person designated and trained by the LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0022 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 autonomous vehicle tester concerning the capabilities and limitations of such fully autonomous vehicle;

and (E) a holder of an operator's license;

(2) The autonomous vehicle tester:

(A) Registers each fully autonomous vehicle to be tested with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles pursuant to section 14-12;

and (B) submits to the commissioner, in a manner and form directed by the commissioner, proof of liability insurance, self-insurance or a surety bond of at least five million dollars for damages by reason of bodily injury, death or property damage caused by a fully autonomous vehicle;

and (3) The operator and autonomous vehicle tester:

(A) Comply with any provision of the general statutes or any ordinance of a municipality concerning the operation of motor vehicles;

(B) comply with standards established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding fully autonomous vehicles;

and (C) satisfy any other requirement as determined by the secretary, in consultation with the Commissioners of Motor Vehicles, Transportation and Emergency Services and Public Protection, as necessary to ensure the safe operation of such fully autonomous vehicle.

(e) No autonomous vehicle tester shall test a fully autonomous vehicle on any limited access highway.

(f) The secretary may immediately prohibit an operator or autonomous vehicle tester from testing a fully autonomous vehicle if the secretary, in consultation with the Commissioners of Motor Vehicles, Transportation and Emergency Services and Public Protection, determines that such testing poses a risk to public safety or that such operator or autonomous vehicle tester fails to comply with the provisions of this section or with the requirements of the pilot program.

(g) An autonomous vehicle tester that participates in the pilot program shall provide information to the secretary and the task force LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0023 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 established pursuant to section 2 of public act 17-69 that the secretary and task force deem to be appropriate for measuring the performance of the pilot program.

The autonomous vehicle tester may withhold any commercially valuable, confidential or proprietary information.

(h) Not later than January 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the secretary shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation, in accordance with section 11-4a, concerning the implementation and progress of the pilot program.

Sec.

19.

Section 2 of public act 17-69, as amended by section 8 of public act 18-167, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) There is established a task force to study fully autonomous vehicles.

Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) an evaluation of the standards established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding state responsibilities for regulating fully autonomous vehicles, (2) an evaluation of laws, legislation and regulations proposed or enacted by other states to regulate fully autonomous vehicles, (3) recommendations on how the state should regulate fully autonomous vehicles through legislation and regulation, and (4) an evaluation of the pilot program established pursuant to section [1 of public act 17-69] 13a-260 of the general statutes, as amended by this act.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;

LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0024 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 (5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(7) One appointed by the Senate chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation;

(8) One appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation;

(9) One appointed by the House chairperson of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation;

(10) Two appointed by the Governor, one of whom has expertise in autonomous vehicles and one of whom has expertise in insurance;

(11) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee;

(12) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, or the commissioner's designee;

(13) The Commissioner of Transportation, or the commissioner's designee;

and (14) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, or the commissioner's designee.

(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivisions (1) to (10), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section.

Any vacancy shall be LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-0025 of 27 R01-SB.docx } Substitute Bill No.

924 filled by the appointing authority.

(e) [The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force.

Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after June 27, 2017.

If such chairpersons are not selected or do not schedule the first meeting within such time period, any] Any chair of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation [shall] may schedule [the first meeting] meetings of the task force [,] as deemed necessary and act as chairperson of the task force [and schedule other meetings of the task force as deemed necessary until the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate select the chairpersons of the task force and such chairpersons schedule a meeting of the task force] until the members of the task force elect a chairperson from among its members.

All subsequent meetings of the task force shall be held at the call of the elected chairperson or upon the request of a majority of the members.

(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(g) The task force shall submit, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes, the following reports regarding its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation:

(1) An interim report not later than July 1, [2019] 2020;

and (2) a final report not later than January 1, [2020] 2021.

The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits the final report or January 1, [2020] 2021, whichever is later.

LCOSection {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00261 ofJuly 271, R01-SB.docx2019 }14-22(a) SubstituteSec. Bill No.

924 Section 1 July 1, 2019 14-22(a) Sec.

10 July 1, 2019 14-46b OctoberLCO 1,No. 2019 Sec.

114613 14-253a(e)15 andof (f)16 Sec.Raised Bill No.

12924 OctoberStatement 1,of 2019Purpose: 14-253a(l) Sec.

13To Octoberimplement 1,recommendations 2019by 13b-344athe Sec.Department of Motor Vehicles regarding motor vehicle registration notice, the International Registration Plan, carriers, the Medical Advisory Board and other motor vehicle statutes.

14except fromthat passagewhen Newthe entire text of a bill or resolution or a section Sec.of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

154613 October16 1,of 201916 14-296aa(c) Sec.

16 October 1, 2019 14-18(a)(2) Sec.

17 from passage New section Sec.

18 from passage 13a-260 Sec.

19 from passage PA 17-69, Sec.

2 Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

In Section 1, the Subsec.

was divided into Subdivs.

for clarity;

in Section 3(e), the first sentence was rewritten for internal consistency;

and in Section 19(e), an opening bracket was inserted before "The" and a closing bracket was inserted after "any" and "shall" was changed to "[shall] may" for internal consistency.

TRA Joint Favorable Subst.

LCO {\\PRDFS1\SCOUSERS\FORZANOF\WS\2019SB-00924- 27 of 27 R01-SB.docx }