H. B. 2295
(By Delegate Warner)
[Introduced January 15, 2003; referred to the
Committee on Education then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section six, article three, chapter
seventeen-b of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to suspension of the
driver's license of a student who fails to maintain a minimum
grade point average of 1.0.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section six, article three, chapter seventeen-b of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. CANCELLATION, SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
§17B-3-6. Authority of division to suspend or revoke license;
hearing.
(a) The division is hereby authorized to suspend the driver's
license of any person without preliminary hearing upon a showing by
its records or other sufficient evidence that the licensee:
(1) Has committed an offense for which mandatory revocation of
a driver's license is required upon conviction;
(2) Has by reckless or unlawful operation of a motor vehicle,
caused or contributed to an accident resulting in the death or
personal injury of another or property damage;
(3) Has been convicted with such frequency of serious offenses
against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles as
to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard for the
safety of other persons on the highways;
(4) Is an habitually reckless or negligent driver of a motor
vehicle;
(5) Is incompetent to drive a motor vehicle;
(6) Has committed an offense in another state which if
committed in this state would be a ground for suspension or
revocation;
(7) Has failed to pay or has defaulted on a plan for the
payment of all costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties imposed by a
magistrate court or municipal court within ninety days, as required
by section two-a, article three, chapter fifty or section two-a,
article ten, chapter eight of this code;
(8) Has failed to appear or otherwise respond before a
magistrate court or municipal court when charged with a motor
vehicle violation as defined in section three-a of this article;
(9) Is under the age of eighteen and has withdrawn either voluntarily or involuntarily from a secondary school, as provided
in section eleven, article eight, chapter eighteen of this code; or
(10) Has failed to maintain a minimum grade point average of
1.0 while enrolled in a secondary school; or
(10) (11) Has failed to pay overdue child support or comply
with subpoenas or warrants relating to paternity or child support
proceedings, if a circuit court has ordered the suspension of the
license as provided in article five-a, chapter forty-eight-a of
this code and the child support enforcement division has forwarded
to the division a copy of the court order suspending the license,
or has forwarded its certification that the licensee has failed to
comply with a new or modified order that stayed the suspension and
provided for the payment of current support and any arrearage due.
(b) The driver's license of any person having his or her
license suspended shall be reinstated if:
(1) The license was suspended under the provisions of
subdivision (7), subsection (a) of this section and the payment of
costs, fines, forfeitures or penalties imposed by the applicable
court has been made;
(2) The license was suspended under the provisions of
subdivision (8), subsection (a) of this section, and the person
having his or her license suspended has appeared in court and has
prevailed against the motor vehicle violations charged; or
(3) The license was suspended under the provisions of subdivision (11), subsection (a) of this section, and the division
has received a court order restoring the license or a certification
by the child support enforcement division that the licensee is
complying with the original support order or a new or modified
order that provides for the payment of current support and any
arrearage due.
(c) Any reinstatement of a license under subdivision (1), (2)
or (3), subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to a
reinstatement fee designated in section nine of this article.
(d) Upon suspending the driver's license of any person as
hereinbefore in this section authorized, the division shall
immediately notify the licensee in writing, sent by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the address given by the licensee in
applying for license, and upon his or her request shall afford him
or her
an opportunity for a hearing as early as practical within
not to exceed twenty days after receipt of such request in the
county wherein the licensee resides unless the division and the
licensee agree that such the hearing may be held in some other
county. Upon such the hearing the commissioner or his or her duly
authorized agent may administer oaths and may issue subpoenas for
the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant books
and papers and may require a reexamination of the licensee. Upon
such the hearing the division shall either rescind its order of
suspension or, good cause appearing therefor, may extend the suspension of such the license or revoke such the license. The
provisions of this subsection (d) providing for notice and hearing
are not applicable to a suspension under subdivision (10) (11),
subsection (a) of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require school students
to maintain a minimum grade point average of 1.0 to avoid a
driver's license suspension.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.