Bill > H3121

This bill amends Section 20 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws to modify penalties for junior operators, which are drivers under a certain age with specific license restrictions. Specifically, upon a third or subsequent conviction within a twelve-month period for violating sections related to traffic laws (sections sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen), the registrar, who is the head of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, will revoke the driver's license for at least thirty days. For holders of a learner's permit convicted of certain violations, their permit will be suspended for 90 days for a first offense and one year for a subsequent offense, and they will need to reapply for their permit. Junior operator license holders convicted of similar violations will face a 90-day suspension for a first offense and a one-year suspension for a subsequent offense, and will also be required to complete a "state courts against road rage" program. Additionally, junior operators seeking to reinstate their license after a suspension under these provisions will face a $250 reinstatement fee, must complete a program aimed at changing young drivers' attitudes, and pass a driving test. A $50 surcharge will also be assessed for reinstatement, with $25 of it going to the Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund and the remainder to the General Fund.