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1 H.753
2 Introduced by Representatives Toof of St. Albans Town, Taylor of Milton,
3 Bartley of Fairfax, Clifford of Rutland City, Hango of
4 Berkshire, Labor of Morgan, Maguire of Rutland City, McFaun
5 of Barre Town, Morgan of Milton, Morrissey of Bennington,
6 Oliver of Sheldon, Page of Newport City, Parsons of Newbury,
7 Peterson of Clarendon, and Williams of Granby
8 Referred to Committee on
9 Date:
10 Subject: Motor vehicles; driver education; junior operator’s license; home
11 study program
12 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish a
13 driver education and training course for students participating in the home
14 study program and to require the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the
15 Secretary of Education to approve a driver education and training course for
16 students participating in the home study program.
17 An act relating to driver education for students participating in the home
18 study program VT LEG #372873 v.1
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1 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
2 Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 607 is amended to read:
3 § 607. JUNIOR OPERATOR’S LICENSE
4 (a) A junior operator’s license may be issued initially only to persons who:
5 (1) are 16 and 17 years of age;
6 (2) have passed the driver examination required in subchapter 2 of this
7 chapter and a driver education and training course approved by the
8 Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of Education pursuant to
9 16 V.S.A. § 1044 or 1045; and
10 (3) have:
11 (A) possessed a learner’s permit for not less than one year;
12 (B) submitted on a form provided by the Department of Motor
13 Vehicles that is approved by the Commissioner, and certified by the operator’s
14 licensed parent or guardian, licensed or certified driver education instructor, or
15 licensed person at least 25 years of age that there was at least 40 hours of
16 practice behind the wheel, at least 10 of which was nighttime driving and that
17 the operator was accompanied by his or her the operator’s licensed parent or
18 guardian, a licensed or certified driver education instructor, or another licensed
19 individual at least 25 years of age, riding in the front passenger seat; and
20 (C) maintained a driving record without a learner’s permit
21 suspension, revocation, or recall for six consecutive months prior to licensure.
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1 ***
2 Sec. 2. 16 V.S.A. chapter 23, subchapter 5 is amended to read:
3 Subchapter 5. Student Driver Education and Training Program
4 § 1044. DRIVER EDUCATION; HOME STUDY PROGRAM
5 (a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of Education
6 shall approve one or more driver education and training courses, which shall
7 include a behind-the-wheel driver training component, suitable for a parent or
8 guardian of a high-school-age student enrolled in a home study program under
9 the provisions of section 166b of this title to use for teaching a home study
10 student.
11 (b) All driver education and training courses approved under this section
12 shall include:
13 (1) a course of instruction approved by the State Board on the effects of
14 alcohol and drugs on driving;
15 (2) instruction on motor vehicle liability insurance and the motor vehicle
16 financial responsibility laws of the State; and
17 (3) instruction on the adverse environmental, health, economic, and
18 other effects of unnecessary idling of motor vehicles and on the law governing
19 prohibited idling of motor vehicles.
20 (c) A course approved under this section may only be taught:
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1 (1) to a student enrolled in a home study program who is at least 15
2 years of age; and
3 (2) by the student’s parent or guardian who has not done any of the
4 following:
5 (A) had six or more points assessed under 23 V.S.A. § 2502 in the
6 three years prior to the student beginning instruction;
7 (B) been convicted of operating under the influence under 23 V.S.A.
8 § 1201, 1216, or 1218 in the 11 years prior to the student beginning
9 instruction; or
10 (C) been convicted of a felony as defined in 13 V.S.A. § 1.
11 (d) Notwithstanding section 1048 of this subchapter, a parent or guardian
12 who is teaching a home study student under a driver education and training
13 course approved under this section may utilize any instructional materials and
14 visual aids provided that the parent is teaching the approved driver education
15 and training course.
16 § 1045. DRIVER TRAINING COURSE EDUCATION; PUBLIC AND
17 INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL
18 (a) A driver education and training course, approved by the Agency of
19 Education and the Department of Motor Vehicles, The Commissioner of Motor
20 Vehicles and the Secretary of Education shall approve driver education and
21 training courses suitable for a licensed driver education instructor to use for VT LEG #372873 v.1
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1 teaching a high school student to drive safely, which shall be made available to
2 students whose parent or guardian is a resident of Vermont and who have
3 reached their 15th birthday are at least 15 years of age and who are regularly
4 enrolled in a public or independent high school approved by the State Board.
5 (b) After June 30, 1984, all All driver education and training courses
6 approved under this section shall include:
7 (1) a course of instruction approved by the State Board and the council
8 on the effects of alcohol and drugs on driving.;
9 (c) All driver education courses shall include
10 (2) instruction on motor vehicle liability insurance and the motor vehicle
11 financial responsibility laws of the State.; and
12 (d) All driver education courses shall include
13 (3) instruction on the adverse environmental, health, economic, and
14 other effects of unnecessary idling of motor vehicles and on the law governing
15 prohibited idling of motor vehicles.
16 ***
17 § 1048. ADMINISTRATION
18 The administration of this subchapter, including the training and
19 qualification of instructors and selection of instructional material and visual
20 aids, shall be in the Agency.
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1 Sec. 3. IMPLEMENTATION; REPORT
2 (a) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of Education
3 shall approve at least one driver education and training course pursuant to 16
4 V.S.A. § 1044 as added by Sec. 2 of this act not later than July 1, 2024.
5 (b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall gather aggregate data that
6 enables a written comparison of the driving records of operators who received
7 a junior operator’s license following participation in a driver education and
8 training course approved pursuant to 16 V.S.A. § 1044 with those who
9 received a junior operator’s license following participation in a driver
10 education and training course approved pursuant to 16 V.S.A. § 1045. The
11 Commissioner shall file the written comparison with the House and Senate
12 Committees on Education and on Transportation not later than November 15,
13 2028.
14 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE
15 This act shall take effect on passage.
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Statutes affected: As Introduced: 23-607, 16-23