Bill

SB 848

85(R) - 2017
Senate Transportation
Senate Transportation

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Positive

Author(s)

Don Huffines

Bill Caption

Relating to requirements for a driver education course provider or instructor.

Bill Analysis

Under current law a driver education course may be "conducted by the parent, stepparent, foster parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or step-grandparent of a person who is required to complete a driver education course to obtain a Class C license." The law stipulates that to give driver education instruction a person must not have been convicted of criminally negligent homicide or driving while intoxicated, and must not be "disabled because of mental illness".

Senate Bill 848 would eliminate the lifetime prohibition on offering a driver safety course for conviction of a DWI and instead make the prohibition last seven years from the time of conviction. The bill would also eliminate the prohibition on offering a course if "disabled because of mental illness" which is an overly-broad term that has no real connection to whether a person is qualified to offer a driver education course.

This bill also reduces from $25,000 to $10,000 the amount of corporate surety bond a course provider must take out. Finally this bill eliminates a requirement that a driver education instructor applying for license renewal must have the application postmarked at least 30 days before expiration of the license. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

SB 848 supports individual liberty and limited government by reducing these regulations. We support SB 848.