15020-15028

VEHICLE CODE
SECTION 15020-15028




15020.  (a) The party states find that:
   (1) The safety of their streets and highways is materially
affected by the degree of compliance with state laws and local
ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles.
   (2) Violation of such a law or ordinance is evidence that the
violator engages in conduct which is likely to endanger the safety of
persons and property.
   (3) The continuance in force of a license to drive is predicated
upon compliance with laws and ordinances relating to the operation of
motor vehicles, in whichever jurisdiction the vehicle is operated.
   (b) It is the policy of the party states to:
   (1) Promote compliance with the laws, ordinances and
administrative rules and regulations relating to the operation of
motor vehicles by their drivers in each of the jurisdictions where
such drivers operate motor vehicles.
   (2) Make the reciprocal recognition of licenses to drive and
eligibility therefor more just and equitable by considering the
overall compliance with motor vehicle laws, ordinances and
administrative rules and regulations as a condition precedent to the
continuance or issuance of any license by reason of which the
licensee is authorized or permitted to operate a motor vehicle in any
of the party states.


15021.  As used in the compact:
   (a) "State" means a state, territory or possession of the United
States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
   (b) "Home state" means the state which has issued and has the
power to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to
operate a motor vehicle.
   (c) "Conviction" means a conviction of any offense related to the
use or operation of a motor vehicle which is prohibited by state law,
municipal ordinance or administrative rule or regulation, or a
forfeiture of bail, bond or other security deposited to secure
appearance by a person charged with having committed any such
offense, and which conviction or forfeiture is required to be
reported to the licensing authority.



15022.  The licensing authority of a party state shall report each
conviction of a person from another party state occurring within its
jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the home state of the
licensee. Such report shall clearly identify the person convicted;
describe the violation specifying the section of the statute, code,
or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was taken;
indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered, or the
conviction was a result of the forfeiture of bail, bond or other
security; and shall include any special findings made in connection
therewith.


15023.  (a) The licensing authority in the home state, for the
purposes of suspending, revoking, or limiting the license to operate
a motor vehicle, shall give the same effect to the conduct reported,
pursuant to Section 15022 of this compact, as it would if such
conduct had occurred in the home state, in the case of a conviction
for:
   (1) Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the
operation of a motor vehicle;
   (2) Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of
intoxicating liquor or a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any
other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable of safely
driving a motor vehicle;
   (3) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;
   (4) Failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle
accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another.
   (b) As to any other conviction, reported pursuant to Section
15022, the licensing authority in the home state shall give such
effect to the conduct as is provided by the laws of the home state.
   (c) If the laws of a party state do not provide for offenses or
violations denominated or described in precisely the words employed
in subdivision (a) of this section, such party state shall construe
the denominations and descriptions appearing in subdivision (a)
hereof as being applicable to and identifying those offenses or
violations of a substantially similar nature, and the laws of such
party state shall contain such provisions as may be necessary to
ensure that full force and effect is given to this section.



15024.  Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing
authority in a party state shall ascertain whether the applicant has
ever held, or is the holder of a license to drive issued by any other
party state. The licensing authority in the state where application
is made shall not issue a license to drive to the applicant if:
   (1) The applicant has held such a license, but the license has
been suspended by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation, and if
such suspension period has not terminated.
   (2) The applicant has held such a license, but the license has
been revoked by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation, and if
such revocation has not terminated; except that after the expiration
of one year from the date the license was revoked, such person may
make application for a new license if permitted by law. The licensing
authority may refuse to issue a license to any such applicant if,
after investigation, the licensing authority determines that it will
not be safe to grant to such person the privilege of driving a motor
vehicle on the public highways.
   (3) The applicant is the holder of a license to drive issued by
another party state and currently in force, unless the applicant
surrenders such license.



15025.  Except as expressly required by provisions of this compact,
nothing contained herein shall be construed to affect the right of
any party state to apply any of its other laws relating to licenses
to drive to any person or circumstance, nor to invalidate or prevent
any driver license agreement or other co-operative arrangement
between a party state and a nonparty state.



15026.  (a) The head of the licensing authority of each party state
shall be the administrator of this compact for his state. The
administrators of all party states, acting jointly, shall have the
power to formulate all necessary and proper procedures for the
exchange of information under this compact.
   (b) The administrator of each party state shall furnish to the
administrator of each other party state any information or documents
reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration of this
compact.



15027.  (a) This compact shall become effective as to any state in
which this compact becomes effective as the law of that state.
   (b) Any party state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a
statute repealing this compact as the law of that state, but no such
withdrawal shall take effect until six months after the executive
head of the withdrawing state has given notice of the withdrawal to
the executive heads of all other party states. No withdrawal shall
affect the validity or applicability by the licensing authorities of
states remaining party to the compact of any report of conviction
occurring prior to the withdrawal.


15028.  The compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate
the purposes thereof. The provisions of the compact shall be
severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provisions of the
compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party
state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any
government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the
validity of the remainder of the compact and the applicability
thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall not
be affected thereby. If the compact shall be held contrary to the
constitution of any state party thereto, the compact shall remain in
full force and effect as to the remaining states and in full force
and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.