HCSHB2745--DRIVERSEDUCATIONCOURSE
SPONSOR: Reedy
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElementaryandSecondaryEducationbyavoteof19to
0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2745.
ThisbillwillrequiretheStateBoardofEducationtodevelopa
"drivereducationinstructionandtrainingprogram"tobeoffered
aspartofthehealthcurriculuminpublicandcharterschoolsto
pupilsingrades10to12.Theinstructionandtrainingshallbe
madeavailablebythe2023-24schoolyearanddistrictsandcharter
schoolswilloffersuchinstructionorasimilarprogram. The
instructionshallincludebutisnotlimitedtohabitsandskills
necessaryforthesafeoperationofmotorvehicles,distracted
drivinghazards,andtrafficstopprocedures. Theinstructiondoes
notrequirephysicaloperationofavehicleandthebilldoesnot
prohibitschoolsfromofferingadditionaldriverseducation
courses.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1402(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatteendriversmakeup15%of
trafficfatalitiesannuallyandthateducationisneeded.
Providingstudentswitharequiredcourseindrivingwillhelpto
preventmistakesontheroad.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Reedy
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthiswouldbean
unfundedmandatefordistrictsandthatthereisnooptout
includedforparentsnordoesittakeintoconsiderationthose
studentswithspecialneeds.
TestifyingagainstthebillwastheMissouriAssociationofSchool
Administrators.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsayteensare
overrepresented intrafficfatalitynumbersandthat70%ofthose
fatalitiesareduetonotbeingbuckledupproperly. TestifyingonthebillwasLt.CollinM.Stosberg,MissouriState
HighwayPatrol.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.