Conditions and requirements for endorsements

(a) In addition to meeting all requirements for a class D operator's license or a commercial driver's license, as applicable, each licensed driver who transports passengers, including passengers who are students, in a motor vehicle listed in section 14-44-3 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, shall satisfy the following conditions and requirements to be issued and to retain the appropriate endorsement: (1) The driver shall not have four or more moving violations arising from separate incidents occurring within a two-year period. As used in this subdivision, "moving violations" refers to convictions for violations specified in section 14-137-82 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, in addition to those violations referenced in sections 14-219 and 14-300f of the Connecticut General Statutes. (2) The driver shall not have a conviction or administrative license suspension, occurring within the preceding five years, of a violation of sections 53a-56b, 53a-60d, 14-227a, 14-227b or subsection (a) or (b) of 14-224 of the Connecticut General Statutes, or of any statute of another state which is determined by the commissioner to prohibit the same or substantially similar acts or conduct as said sections of the Connecticut General Statutes. (3) The driver shall not have a conviction, occurring within the preceding three years, of a violation of sections 14-215, 14-222 or 14-222a of the Connecticut General Statutes. (4) The driver shall not have a conviction of a serious criminal offense, which adversely reflects on his or her moral character. (5) The driver shall not have engaged in any act or conduct which adversely reflects on his or her moral character. An arrest of the driver for any felony or a violation of sections 53a-73a or 53a-63 of the Connecticut General Statutes shall be prima facie evidence of an act or conduct which adversely reflects on his or her moral character, unless there has been a disposition of such charge(s) in favor of the driver. (b) In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, a driver who applies for or holds an "S" or "V" endorsement, shall not have a conviction of a serious criminal offense, including, but not limited to, any of the offenses listed in subsection (c) of this section. (c) Convictions under any of the following listed sections of the Connecticut General Statutes, and convictions under the laws of any other state or territory, or under federal law for offenses which are deemed by the commissioner to involve conduct which is substantially similar to conduct in violation of any of the following listed sections, are regarded as serious criminal offenses, for the purposes of determining the qualifications of an individual to hold an "S" or "V" endorsement, in accordance with the provisions of this section. (1) Any conviction of 53a-54b, capital felony: 53a-54c, felony murder: or 53a-54d, arson murder; (2) Any conviction of a Class A felony; (3) Any conviction of a Class B felony; (4) Any conviction, regardless of the classification, of any of the following offenses: 21a-277, 21a-278, 21a-278a, 21a-279(a) or (b), 29-33, 29-34, 29-35, 53-20, 53-21, 53- 21a, 53-23, 53-37a, 53-80a, 53-202b, 53-202c, 53a-56, 53a-56a, 53a-56b, 53a-57, 53a-60a, 53a-60b, 53a-60c, 53a-60d, 53a-61a, 53a-61aa, 53a-63, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b, 53a-73a, 53a-87, 53a-88, 53a-90a, 53a-95, 53a-99, 53a-102, 53a-102a, 53a-103a, 53a-113, 53a-123(a)(3), 53a-135, 53a-136a, 53a-165aa, 53a-166, 53a-167c, 53a-174(a), 53a-181c, 53a-189a, 53a-189b, 53a-191, 53a-196, 53a-196e, 53a-196f, 53a-211, 53a-212, 53a-216, 53a-217b. (d) The following limitations and restrictions apply to any person who applies for or holds an "S" or "V" endorsement. (1) Any conviction of a violation of any offense listed in subsection (c) of this section shall disqualify a person from holding an "S" or "V" endorsement, if the applicant or the license holder has finished serving the sentence for the conviction within five (5) years preceding the date of the application, or, in the case of license holders, five years preceding the date on which the conviction has become known to DMV. (2) With reference to each applicant and each holder of an "S" or "V," if the sentence for the conviction of a violation of any offense listed in subsection (c) of this section has been completed more than five (5) years ago, the commissioner shall make an assessment of the nature of the offense, and of the entire criminal history of the individual, as these reflect on the current fitness of the individual to hold an endorsement to transport school children. (3) If the applicant or holder of an "S" or "V" endorsement has been convicted of a violation of the laws of another state or of federal law, the commissioner shall determine if the conduct involved is substantially similar to conduct in violation of any of the sections listed in subsection (c) of this section. (e) A driver who applies for or holds an "S" or "V" endorsement and who has an arrest for any felony, or a conviction of an offense that is not listed in subsection (c) of this section, may be subject to a denial or withdrawal of the "S" or "V" endorsement after a review and evaluation of the official records of any state or federal criminal justice agency, an official driving history record, and any application for the endorsement that is required in subsection (a) of section 14-44-5 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.