HB385 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Kyle South

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Drivers' licenses, exempting homeless children and youth from certain fees associated with drivers' licenses, Law Enforcement Agency rulemaking authority further provided, Secs. 32-6-4, 32-6-6.1, 32-6-13, 32-6-15, 32-6-21 am'd.

Summary

HB385 makes homeless children and youth exempt from certain driver’s license fees and creates a verification process to prove eligibility.

What This Bill Does

It exempts qualified homeless students from the driver's license issuance fee and from the first-time examination fee when applying for or renewing a license, and from the first duplicate license fee. It also exemts qualified students from the additional 50-cent fee that funds the Veterans Living Legacy Trust. It requires a designated school staff member (attendance officer or local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth) to verify homelessness status and provide documentation to the Department of Public Safety using forms approved by the Department of Education, for applications, renewals, reinstatements, or replacements. Eligibility is based on the federal definition of homeless child or youth and must be documented along with enrollment status and disciplinary points as part of the process.

Who It Affects

• Homeless children and youth in Alabama who are seeking or renewing a driver’s license or related identification and will pay reduced or no fees under the bill.
• School attendance officers, chief attendance administrators, and local educational agency liaisons for homeless children and youth, who must verify eligibility and provide the required documentation; the Department of Public Safety will use this documentation to apply the exemptions.

Key Provisions

• Exemption from the driver's license issuance fee for a 'qualified student' as defined (homeless child or youth) under 16-28-40(b)(2).
• No charge for the first driver's license examination for a qualified student (32-6-21).
• No charge for the first duplicate driver's license for a qualified student (32-6-15).
• Exemption from the 50-cent Veterans Living Legacy Fund fee for a qualified student (32-6-6.1).
• Definition of 'qualified student' and the verification process: the student must be verified by a school attendance official or local educational agency liaison as meeting the federal homelessness definition and have enrollment/disciplinary documentation (42 U.S.C. § 11434(a)(2)).
• Documentation and verification must be provided on DOE-approved forms to the Department of Public Safety, for use on applications, renewals, reinstatements, or replacements.
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Drivers' Licenses