This bill does the following.
1. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services to establish a program to pay for or reimburse the fees and costs incurred by a person who is in the department's custody pursuant to the Child and Family Services and Child Protection Act, who is engaged in the department's extended care program or who is engaged in the department's transition grant program that are related to obtaining a driver's license and motor vehicle insurance and additional costs related to obtaining a driver's license. The department may adopt rules to implement the provisions.
2. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a program to ensure that a minor who is 15 years of age or older and is in the department's custody is provided with the opportunity to obtain: assistance in obtaining a driver's license or learner's permit or enrolling in a driver education course; skills training for safe driving; required hours of driving under a learner's permit; and information on how to obtain motor vehicle insurance. The department may adopt rules related to the program.
3. It provides that a licensed motor vehicle dealer is required to allow a person who is a minor 15 years and 6 months of age or older who is or has been placed in the care of someone other than the person's parents by the Department of Health and Human Services, or who is a minor living independently, and who has a valid driver's license to contract for the purchase of a motor vehicle.
4. It directs the Secretary of State to waive all fees assessed by the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles related to obtaining a license for a person who has not attained 27 years of age and who is or has been placed in the care of someone other than the person's parents by the department or who is a minor living independently.
5. It allows a minor who does not have a parent, guardian or spouse who has attained
18 years of age to have the minor's driver's license application signed by a person who is
19 years of age or older and is the minor's employer, the minor's grandparent, the minor's sibling, the minor's parent's sibling or that sibling's spouse or the minor's foster parent or
43 by an employee designated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of
44 Child and Family Services and limits the liability of the person who signed the application.
6. It clarifies cross-references in the section of law related to learner's permits to reflect the changes to the section of law related to driver's licenses.
7. It requires rating bureaus or independent insurers as recognized by the Superintendent of Insurance to allow certain minors who are driver education school graduates to contract for an automobile insurance policy.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 431, HP 285: 29-A.1302, 29-A.1304, 29-A.1354