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1 S.210
2 Introduced by Senators Hardy, Harrison and White
3 Referred to Committee on
4 Date:
5 Subject: Motor vehicles; driver’s licenses; driver education; Vermont State
6 Colleges System; new motor vehicle manufacturers; new motor
7 vehicle dealers; crash-test data; complete streets; motor vehicle
8 safety; pedestrian safety
9 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require driver
10 education training for all newly licensed operators 18 years of age and older
11 and to require the Department of Motor Vehicles to adopt rules on
12 requirements for driver education instructor courses and develop a curriculum
13 for such courses to be offered at the Vermont State Colleges System. This bill
14 also proposes to require new motor vehicle manufacturers to provide new
15 motor vehicle dealers with crash-test data and new motor vehicle dealers to
16 make that data available to consumers and to require the Agency of
17 Transportation to update its Complete Streets Guidance and training materials
18 with an increased focus on vulnerable user safety.
19 An act relating to motor vehicle and pedestrian safety VT LEG #372493 v.3
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1 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
2 * * * Driver Education * * *
3 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 606a is added to read:
4 § 606a. OPERATOR’S LICENSE
5 An operator’s license may be issued initially only to applicants who:
6 (1) are 18 years of age or older; and
7 (2) have passed the driver examination required in subchapter 2 of this
8 chapter and a driver education and training course approved by the
9 Commissioner of Motor Vehicles that includes at least 30 hours of classroom
10 instruction and at least six hours of highway driving instruction.
11 Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. §§ 705 and 706 are amended to read:
12 § 705. QUALIFICATIONS FOR INSTRUCTOR’S LICENSE
13 In order to qualify for an instructor’s license, each applicant shall:
14 (1) not have been convicted of:
15 ***
16 (2) pass one or more driver education instructor courses as the
17 Commissioner shall require in rule;
18 (3) pass such examination as the Commissioner shall require on:
19 (A) traffic laws;
20 (B) safe driving practices;
21 (C) operation of motor vehicles; and VT LEG #372493 v.3
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1 (D) qualifications as a teacher;
2 (3)(4) be physically able to operate a motor vehicle and to train others in
3 such operation;
4 (4)(5) have five years’ experience as a licensed operator and be at least
5 21 years of age on date of application; and
6 (5)(6) pay the application and license fees prescribed in section 702 of
7 this title.
8 § 706. POWERS OF COMMISSIONER
9 The Commissioner may shall by rule prescribe requirements and standards
10 for driver training, operation of driver training schools, and conduct of
11 instructors. The charges for such driver training shall be subject to the
12 approval of the Commissioner.
13 Sec. 3. IMPLEMENTATION; DRIVER EDUCATION
14 (a) Operator’s licenses. Applicants for a new operator’s license shall be
15 required to meet the requirements of 23 V.S.A. § 606a, as added by Sec. 1 of
16 this act, if the operator’s license is issued on or after July 1, 2025. The
17 requirements of 23 V.S.A. § 606a(2) shall not apply to an applicant 18 years of
18 age or older who is already licensed to operate a motor vehicle in Vermont or
19 another state.
20 (b) Driver education.
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1 (1) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall, unless extended by the
2 Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules, adopt amendments to the
3 Department of Motor Vehicles, Operation of Driver Training Schools and
4 Instructors Giving Driver Training Instructions for Hire (CVR 14-050-039) to
5 include requirements for driver education instructor courses as required under
6 23 V.S.A. §§ 705 and 706, as amended by Sec. 2 of this act, to be effective not
7 later than July 1, 2025.
8 (2) The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Vermont State Colleges
9 System, in consultation with the Vermont Driver and Traffic Safety Education
10 Association, shall develop a curriculum to offer driver education instructor
11 courses that meet any requirements in the Department of Motor Vehicles,
12 Operation of Driver Training Schools and Instructors Giving Driver Training
13 Instructions for Hire (CVR 14-050-039) as amended to meet the requirements
14 of subdivision (1) of this subsection so that driver education instructor courses
15 are offered by the Vermont State Colleges System not later than January 1,
16 2026. At a minimum, the Department and Vermont State Colleges System
17 shall consult with White Mountains Community College on the curriculum,
18 courses, and requirements to receive a Driver Education Instructor Certificate
19 from White Mountains Community College.
20 (3) Prior to using Transportation Fund monies for the purpose of
21 developing a curriculum as required under subdivision (2) of this subsection,
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1 the Department shall consult with the Vermont State Highway Safety Office on
2 whether the development of a curriculum as required under subdivision (2) of
3 this subsection is eligible for federal highway safety grant funds.
4 * * * Disclosure of Crash-Test Data and Types of Crash-Test Dummies * * *
5 Sec. 4. 9 V.S.A. § 4097 is amended to read:
6 § 4097. MANUFACTURER VIOLATIONS
7 It shall be a violation of this chapter for any manufacturer defined under this
8 chapter:
9 ***
10 (25) To refuse to disclose to any of the manufacturer’s new motor
11 vehicle dealers in the State comprehensive crash-test data, including detailed
12 information on the types of crash-test dummies, including variations for body
13 type, size, representative sex, and representative physical condition, as
14 applicable, used by the manufacturer in conducting crash tests, in a medium
15 that can easily be made available on a new motor vehicle dealer’s website or to
16 customers in person, or both.
17 Sec. 5. 23 V.S.A. § 450a(d) is added to read:
18 (d) In addition to the requirements of subsections (a)–(c) of this section, a
19 person shall not be eligible to register as a dealer in new motor vehicles, as
20 defined in 9 V.S.A. § 4085(12), without disclosing on the dealer’s website, if
21 one exists, and making available at the dealership crash-test data and VT LEG #372493 v.3
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1 information on the types of crash-test dummies, including variations for body
2 type, size, representative sex, and representative physical condition, as
3 applicable, that the new motor vehicle manufacturer uses in conducting safety
4 tests.
5 Sec. 6. IMPLEMENTATION; CRASH-TEST DISCLOSURES
6 (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall not allow a new motor vehicle
7 dealer to register as a dealer without proof that the new motor vehicle dealer is
8 making crash-test data available in accordance with 23 V.S.A. § 450a(d), as
9 added by Sec. 5 of this act, once that data must be disclosed to the new motor
10 vehicle dealer in accordance with 9 V.S.A. § 4097(25), as added by Sec. 4 of
11 this act.
12 (b) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall adopt, to be effective not later
13 than January 1, 2025, unless extended by the Legislative Committee on
14 Administrative Rules, amendments to the Department of Motor Vehicles,
15 Vermont Dealer Licensing and Schedule of Penalties and Suspension (CVR
16 14-050-050) to establish an administrative penalty for failing to make available
17 information on crash-test data and the types of crash-test dummies that the
18 manufacturer of new motor vehicles sold by a dealer provides to the dealer.
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1 * * * Complete Streets * * *
2 Sec. 7. 19 V.S.A. § 2402 is amended to read:
3 § 2402. STATE POLICY
4 (a) Agency of Transportation funded, designed, or funded and designed
5 projects shall seek to increase and encourage more pedestrian, bicycle, and
6 public transit trips, with the State goal to promote intermodal access to the
7 maximum extent feasible, which will help the State meet the transportation-
8 related recommendations outlined in the Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP)
9 issued under 30 V.S.A. § 202b and the recommendations of the Vermont
10 Climate Action Plan (CAP) issued under 10 V.S.A. § 592.
11 (b) Except in the case of projects or project components involving unpaved
12 highways, for all transportation projects and project phases managed by the
13 Agency or a municipality, including planning, development, construction, or
14 maintenance, it is the policy of this State for the Agency and municipalities, as
15 applicable, to incorporate complete streets principles that:
16 (1) serve individuals of all ages and abilities, including vulnerable users
17 as defined in 23 V.S.A. § 4(81), with a priority placed on the safety of
18 vulnerable users;
19 (2) follow state-of-the-practice design guidance; and VT LEG #372493 v.3
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1 (3) are sensitive to the surrounding community, including current and
2 planned buildings, parks, and trails and current and expected transportation
3 needs.
4 Sec. 8. 19 V.S.A. § 2404 is amended to read:
5 § 2404. ANNUAL REPORT; PUBLIC DATA SOURCE
6 (a) Annual report. Notwithstanding 2 V.S.A. § 20(d), the Agency shall
7 annually, on or before September 1 starting in 2025, submit a report detailing
8 the State’s efforts in following the complete streets policy established in
9 section 2402 of this chapter during the previous fiscal year to the House and
10 Senate Committees on Transportation.
11 (b) Public data source.
12 (1) The Agency of Transportation shall maintain a web-accessible and
13 web-searchable data source dedicated to complete streets on the Agency’s
14 website that shall contain information on all State-managed transportation
15 projects that have been bid since January 1, 2023, including a description of
16 the project,; the location of the project,; which complete streets principles were
17 incorporated in the project, as applicable, and; an explanation as to which
18 circumstance or circumstances contained in subsection 2403(a) of this chapter
19 existed in the case of projects not incorporating complete streets principles;
20 and a notation indicating any post-January 1, 2023 crash data for the location.
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1 (2) The web-accessible and web-searchable data source required under
2 this subsection shall be updated on at least an annual basis.
3 Sec. 9. IMPLEMENTATION; COMPLETE STREETS
4 The Agency of Transportation shall update the Agency’s Complete Streets
5 Guidance and complete streets training program for municipalities to provide
6 training on complete streets to municipalities to reflect the increased risk that
7 larger motor vehicles pose to vulnerable users and ways to prioritize the safety
8 of vulnerable users by following complete streets principles not later than
9 January 1, 2025. In updating the Guidance, the Agency shall consult with
10 participants in the 2023 Vermont State Walking College and shall provide at
11 least 60 days for members of the public to provide comments on a draft of the
12 Guidance before it is finalized.
13 * * * Effective Dates * * *
14 Sec. 10. EFFECTIVE DATES
15 (a) This section (effective dates) shall take effect on passage.
16 (b) Sec. 4 (disclosure of crash-test data by manufacturers; 9 V.S.A. § 4097)
17 shall take effect on passage and apply to any manufacturer that enters into or
18 renews a franchise, as defined in 9 V.S.A. § 4085(6), with a new motor vehicle
19 dealer in Vermont after the effective date of this section.
20 (c) Sec. 1 (operator’s license driver education; 23 V.S.A. § 606a) shall take
21 effect on July 1, 2025.
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1 (d) All other sections shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
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Statutes affected: As Introduced: 9-4097, 19-2402, 19-2404