As Introduced

129th General Assembly Regular Session 2011-2012

H. B. No. 126

Representatives Grossman, Gonzales 

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A BILL

To amend section 4501.81 of the Revised Code to

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provide that when a person submits an application

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to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles or a deputy

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registrar for a new or renewal driver's license,

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commercial driver's license, temporary instruction

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permit, motorcycle operator's license or

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endorsement, or identification card, the

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individual must be furnished with a next of kin

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information form on which the individual may list

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information for inclusion in the next of kin

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database of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 4501.81 of the Revised Code be	12
amended to read as follows:	13

Sec. 4501.81. (A) The bureau of motor vehicles shall	14
establish a database of the next of kin of persons who are issued	15
and driver's licenses, commercial driver's licenses, temporary	16
instruction permits, motorcycle operator's licenses and	17
endorsements, and identification cards. Information in the	18
database shall be accessible only to employees of the bureau and	19
to criminal justice agencies and is not a public record for	20
purposes of section 149.43 of the Revised Code.	21

(B) AnWhen an individual holding a valid Ohiosubmits an	22
application to the registrar of motor vehicles or a deputy	23
registrar for a driver's license, commercial driver's license,	24
temporary instruction permit, motorcycle operator's license or	25
endorsement, or identification card, or renewal of any of them,	26
the individual shall be afforded the opportunity tofurnished with	27
a next of kin information form on which the individual may list	28
the name, address, telephone number, and relationship to the	29
individual of at least one contact person whom the individual	30
wishes to be contacted if the individual is involved in a motor	31
vehicle accident or emergency situation and the individual dies or	32
is seriously injured or rendered unconscious and is unable to	33
communicate with the contact person. The contact person may or may	34
not be the next of kin of the applicant, except that if the	35
applicant is under eighteen years of age and is not emancipated,	36
the contact person shall include the parent, guardian, or	37
custodian of the applicant.	38

The form described in this division shall inform the	39
individual that, after completing the form, the individual may	40
return the form to the registrar or any deputy registrar, each of	41
whom shall accept the form from the individual without payment of	42
any fee. The form also shall contain the mailing address of the	43
bureau, to which the individual may mail the completed form, and	44
also instructions whereby the individual may furnish the	45
information described in this division to the registrar through	46
use of the internet.	47

(C) The bureau, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the	48
Revised Code, shall adopt rules to implement this section. The	49
rules shall address bothall of the following:	50

(1) The methods whereby a person who has submitted the name	51
of a contact person for inclusion in the database may make changes	52
to that entry;	53

(2) The contents of the next of kin information form;

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(3) Any other aspect of the database or its operation that	55
the registrar of motor vehicles determines is necessary in order	56
to implement this section.	57

(D) In the event of a motor vehicle accident or emergency	58
situation in which a person dies or is seriously injured or	59
rendered unconscious and is unable to communicate with the contact	60
person specified in the database, an employee of a criminal	61
justice agency shall make a good faith effort to notify the	62
contact person of the situation, but neither the bureau of motor	63
vehicles nor the employee nor the criminal justice agency that	64
employs that employee incurs any liability if the employee is not	65
able to make contact with the contact person.	66

Section 2. That existing section 4501.81 of the Revised Code	67
is hereby repealed.	68