Traffic control: driver license; testing requirements for drivers over a certain age; provide for. Amends sec. 307 of 1949 PA 300 (MCL 257.307) & adds sec. 307c.
Summary
Senate Bill 847 amends the Michigan Vehicle Code to add age-based in-person renewal and testing requirements for driver’s licenses. Under the bill, drivers age 75 and older would have to appear in person at a Secretary of State office at least once every four years to renew or obtain a license, and drivers age 85 and older would have to appear in person every year. In both cases, the applicant would be required to pass a vision test, a written knowledge test, and a driving skills test before a license is issued.
The bill also makes a series of related changes to the driver licensing application process. It updates identity and residency documentation rules, preserves existing procedures for noncitizens and commercial driver licensing, and continues provisions tied to voter registration, anatomical gift registration, Social Security number handling, and the use of license images and signatures for law enforcement and other authorized purposes. It also adds a new section requiring periodic in-person renewal and testing for older drivers, which is the bill’s central policy change.
Impact
The bill would amend section 307 of the Michigan Vehicle Code and add new section 307c, creating new statutory requirements for license renewal and issuance for older drivers. It would affect the Secretary of State’s licensing procedures by requiring in-person appearances and mandatory testing for applicants age 75 and older, with a stricter annual in-person renewal cycle for applicants age 85 and older. It would also continue to govern how the state verifies identity, legal presence, voter-registration information, and donor-registry participation in connection with driver’s license applications, while leaving existing commercial licensing and privacy-related provisions largely intact.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcripts or recorded votes, so there is no direct evidence of formal support or opposition in the legislative history provided. Based on the bill’s content, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and licensing-administration bill focused on ensuring older drivers remain qualified to drive. The overall tone of the text is regulatory and procedural rather than partisan or ideological.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the age-based testing requirement itself, especially the mandatory in-person renewals and repeated vision, written, and driving skills tests for drivers 75 and older, and annually for drivers 85 and older. Supporters would likely view these provisions as a safety measure to ensure continued driving competence, while opponents may see them as burdensome or discriminatory toward older adults. Secondary issues include the bill’s continued linkage of driver licensing with voter registration updates and the Secretary of State’s authority to verify immigration status and share certain information for law-enforcement and other authorized purposes.