Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

I am reintroducing legislation amends Title 75 (Vehicles) of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. This legislation will allow all male citizens between the ages of 18-26 to register with the federal Selective Service System when applying for a driver’s license. For those who do not wish to register, there will be a check-off box on the appropriate form, allowing them to “opt out” of the requirements.
 
The driver’s license application will clearly state that, by the signing the application, the applicant is also consenting to registration with the federal Selective Service System, or has already registered with the Selective Service System. The application will also state that checking the appropriate box indicates a lack of consent to this registration, and that failure to register for the Selective Service System is a felony.
 
Pennsylvania is one of the few states that has not linked the Selective Service registration with the process of applying for a driver’s license. Those who do not register with the Selective Service System become ineligible to receive certain programs and benefits, including student loans and grants for college. Under the federal law, failure to register is considered a felony and subjects young men to a maximum fine of $250,000, or up to five years of imprisonment, or both.
 
I last introduced this type of legislation during the 2003-04 session of the General Assembly. It was Senate Bill 305 during that session. This bill has been reintroduced in the House of Representatives for the current session of the General Assembly as House Bill 344.  Co-sponsors of this legislation were Senators LEMMOND,TARTAGLIONE, D. WHITE, ROBBINS, THOMPSON, DENT, RAFFERTY, WOZNIAK, CORMAN, M. WHITE, BOSCOLA AND WAGNER.

If you have any questions regarding this legislation, please contact Greg Beckenbaugh in my office at 787-3817 or gbeckenbaugh@pasen.gov .