To amend section 4510.12 of the Revised Code to clarify the penalties for operating a motorcycle without having either a motorcycle endorsement or the proper restricted license.

Section 1. That section 4510.12 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 4510.12.  (A)(1) No person, except those expressly exempted under sections 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05 of the Revised Code, shall operate any motor vehicle upon a public road or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this state unless the person has a valid driver's license issued under Chapter 4507. of the Revised Code or a commercial driver's license issued under Chapter 4506. of the Revised Code.

(2) No person, except a person expressly exempted under sections 4507.03, 4507.04, and 4507.05 of the Revised Code, shall operate any motorcycle upon a public road or highway or any public or private property used by the public for purposes of vehicular travel or parking in this state unless the person has a valid license as a motorcycle operator that was issued upon application by the registrar of motor vehicles under Chapter 4507. of the Revised Code. The license shall be in the form of an endorsement, as determined by the registrar, upon a driver's or commercial driver's license, if the person has a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle, or in the form of a restricted license as provided in section 4507.14 of the Revised Code, if the person does not have a valid license to operate a motor vehicle or commercial motor vehicle.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of operating a motor vehicle without a valid license and shall be punished as follows:

(1) If the trier of fact finds that the offender never has held a valid driver's or commercial driver's license issued by this state or any other jurisdiction, or, in a case involving the operation of a motorcycle by the offender, the trier of fact finds at the time of such operation the offender did not have a valid license as a motorcycle operator, either in the form of an endorsement upon a driver's or commercial driver's license or in the form of a restricted license, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(2)(a) Subject to division (B)(2)(b) of this section, if the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or, in a case involving the operation of a motorcycle by the offender, the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license bearing the motorcycle endorsement or the offender's restricted license was expired at the time of the offense for no more than six months, the offense is a minor misdemeanor and if. If the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license or permit or, in a case involving the operation of a motorcycle by the offender, the offender's driver's or commercial driver's license bearing the motorcycle endorsement or the offender's restricted license was expired at the time of the offense for more than six months, the offense is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

(b)(i) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one violation of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(ii) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to two violations of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the second degree.

(iii) If the offender previously was convicted of or pleaded guilty to three or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.

(C) The court shall not impose a license suspension for a first violation of this section or if more than three years have passed since the offender's last violation of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.

(D) If the offender was convicted of or pleaded guilty to one or more violations of this section or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance within the past three years, and if the offender's license was expired for more than six months at the time of the offense, the court shall impose a class seven suspension of the offender's driver license, commercial driver's license, temporary instruction permit, probationary license, or nonresident operating privilege from the range specified in division (A)(7) of section 4510.02 of the Revised Code.

Section 2. That existing section 4510.12 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.