The bill amends various sections of the Revised Code to update driver education requirements in Ohio, particularly for individuals under eighteen years of age. It changes the age requirement for obtaining a temporary instruction permit from "six months" to "six months and one year" and extends the validity of this permit from one year to "one year and six months." Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for probationary license holders, including restrictions on driving hours and the number of non-family passengers. It clarifies conditions under which these holders may operate vehicles during restricted hours, allowing exceptions for travel to work, school functions, or religious events, and establishes that law enforcement cannot stop vehicles solely to check for compliance with occupant restraint device requirements or probationary license restrictions.

Moreover, the bill enhances the requirements for obtaining a driver's license for applicants aged twenty-one and older by mandating the presentation of an affidavit or certificate of completion verifying driving experience. Applicants must demonstrate at least fifty hours of actual driving experience, including ten hours at night, or complete a minimum of forty hours with a qualified adult using an electronic device. The legislation also introduces rules for online driver education courses, emphasizing safety and proper driving techniques, and allows qualified adults to supervise student drivers using approved electronic devices. It streamlines the process by exempting these adults from instructor licensure requirements and repeals existing sections of the Revised Code to modernize the legal framework governing driver training.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 4507.05, 4507.071, 4507.21, 4508.02