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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 947 By: Jech of the Senate
and
Newton of the House
An Act relating to teenage driver, work zone, and
first responder safety; amending 47 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-105, as amended by Section 42, Chapter 282,
O.S.L. 2022 (47 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 6 -105),
which relates to gradu ated Class D licenses; adding
requirement for receiving certain license; and
providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 47 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -105, as
amended by Section 42, Chapter 282, O.S.L. 2022 (47 O.S. Supp. 2022,
Section 6-105), is amended to read as f ollows:
Section 6-105. A. Unless a legal custodial parent or legal
guardian has filed an objection to licensure pursuant to Section 6-
103.1 of this title, any person under eighteen (18) years of age who
is in compliance with or not subject to Secti on 6-107.3 of this
title may be permitted to operate:
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1. A Class D motor vehicle under the graduated driver license
provisions prescribed in subsections B through E of this section;
2. A motorcycle under t he provisions prescribed in subsection H
of this section; or
3. A farm vehicle under the provisions prescribed in subsection
I of this section.
B. Any person who is at least fifteen (15) years of age may
drive during a session in which the driver is bein g instructed in a
driver education course, as set out in subparagraphs a, b, c, d and
e of paragraph 1 of subsection C of this section, by a certified
driver education instructor who is seated in the right front seat of
the motor vehicle.
C. Any person:
1. Who is at least fifteen and one -half (15 1/2) years of age
and is currently receiving instruction in or has successfully
completed driver education. For purposes of this section, the term
“driver education” shall mean:
a. a prescribed secondary school driver education course,
as provided for in Secti ons 19-113 through 19-121 of
Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
b. a driver education course, certified by the Department
of Public Safety, from a parochial, private, or other
nonpublic secondary school,
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c. a commercial driver training course, as defined by
Sections 801 through 808 of this title,
d. a parent-taught driver education course, certified by
the Department of Public Safety. The Department shall
promulgate rules for any parent-taught driver
education course, or
e. a driver education course certified by a state other
than Oklahoma; or
2. Who is at least sixteen (16) years of age,
may, upon successfully passing all parts of the driver license
examination administered by Service Oklahoma, or an approved written
examination proctor, except the driving examination, be issued a
learner permit which will grant the permittee the privilege to
operate a Class D motor vehicle upon the pu blic highways only
between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and while acc ompanied
by a licensed driver who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age
and who is actually occupying a seat beside the permittee; provided,
the written examination for a lear ner permit may be waived by
Service Oklahoma upon verification that the person has successfully
completed driver educat ion.
D. 1. Any person:
a. who has applied for, been issued, and has possessed a
learner permit for a minimum of six (6) months, and
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b. whose custodial legal parent or legal guardian
certifies to Service Oklahoma by sworn affidavit that
the person has received a minimum of fifty (50) hours
of actual behind-the-wheel training, of which at least
ten (10) hours of such training was at night, from a
licensed driver who was at least twenty -one (21) years
of age and who was properly licensed to operate a
Class D motor vehicle for a minimum of two (2) years,
and
c. who has completed a free course approved by the
Department of Transportation on teenage driver, work
zone, and first responder safety offered by the
Department of Transportation , Service Oklahoma, or a n
approved provider of driver education as defined in
this section,
may be issued an intermediate Class D license upon successfully
passing all parts of the driver license examinations administered b y
Service Oklahoma; provided, the written examination, if it has not
previously been administered or waived, may be waived by Service
Oklahoma upon verification that the person has successfully
completed driver education or the drivi ng examination may be waived
by Service Oklahoma upon successful passage of the examination
administered by a certified designated examiner, as provided for in
Section 6-110 of this title. However, notwithstanding the date of
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issuance of the learner permit, if the person has been convicted of
a traffic offense which is reported on the driving record of that
person, the time period specified in subparagraph a of this
paragraph shall be recalculated to begin from the date of convi ction
for the traffic offense, and must elapse before that person may be
issued an intermediate Class D license. If the person has been
convicted of more than one traffic offense which is reported on the
driving record of that person, the time period spec ified in
subparagraph a of this paragraph shall be recalculated to begin from
the most recent date of conviction, and must elapse before that
person may be issued an intermediate Class D license.
2. A person who has been issued an intermediate Class D lic ense
under the provisions of this subsection:
a. shall be granted the privilege to operate a Class D
motor vehicle upon the public highways:
(1) only between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 10:00
p.m., except for driving to and from work,
school, school activities, and church activiti es,
or
(2) at any time, if a licensed driver who is at least
twenty-one (21) years of age is actually
occupying a seat beside the intermediate Class D
licensee, or if the intermediate Class D licensee
is a farm or ranch resid ent, and is operating a
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motor vehicle while engaged in farming or
ranching operations outside the limits of a
municipality, or driving to and from work,
school, school activities, or church activiti es,
and
b. shall not operate a motor vehicle with more tha n one
passenger unless:
(1) all passengers live in the same household as the
custodial legal parent or legal guardian, or
(2) a licensed driver at least twenty-one (21) years
of age is actually occu pying a seat beside the
intermediate Class D licensee.
E. Any person who has been issued an intermediate Class D
license for a minimum of:
1. One (1) year; or
2. Six (6) months, if the person has completed both the driver
education and the parent-certified behind-the-wheel training
provisions of subparagraph b of paragraph 1 of subsection D of this
section,
may be issued a Class D license. However, notwithstanding the date
of issuance of the Class D license, if the person has been convicted
of a traffic offense which is reported on the driving record of that
person, the time periods specifi ed in paragraph 1 or 2 of this
subsection, as applicable, shall be recalculated to begin from the
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date of conviction for the traffic offense, and must elapse before
that person may be issued a Class D license. If the person has been
convicted of more than one traffic offense which is reported on the
driving record of that person, the time periods specified in
paragraph 1 or 2 of this subsection, as applicable, shall be
recalculated to begin from the most recent date of convic tion, and
must elapse before th at person may be issued a Class D license.
F. Learner permits and intermediate Class D licenses shall be
issued for the same period as all other driver licenses . The
licenses may be suspended or canceled at the discretion o f the
Department for violation of restrictions, for failing to give the
required or correct information on the application, for knowingly
giving false or inaccurate information on the application or any
subsequent documentation related to the granting of d riving
privileges, for using a hand-held electronic device while operating
a motor vehicle for non-life-threatening emergency purposes or for
violation of any traffic laws of this state pertaining t o the
operation of a motor vehicle.
G. Service Oklahoma shall promulgate rules establishing
procedures for removal of learner permit and intermediate Class D
license restrictions from the permit or license upon the permittee
or licensee qualifying for a less restricted o r an unrestricted
license.
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H. Any person fourteen (14) years of age or older may apply for
a restricted Class D license with a motorcycle-only restriction.
After the person has successfully passed all parts of the motorcycle
examination other than the dr iving examination, has successfully
completed a certified state-approved motorcycle basic rider course
approved by the Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with
Service Oklahoma, and has met all requirements provided for in the
rules of the Department and Service Oklahoma, Service Oklahoma shall
issue to the person a r estricted Class D license with a motorcycle-
only restriction which shall grant to the person, while having the
license in the person’s immediate possession, the privilege to
operate a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle:
1. With a piston displacement not to exceed three hundred (300)
cubic centimeters;
2. Between the hours of 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only;
3. While wearing approved protective headgear; and
4. While accompanied by and re ceiving instruction from any
person who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age and who is
properly licensed pursuant to the laws of this state to operate a
motorcycle or motor-driven cycle, and who has visual contact with
the restricted licensee.
The restricted licensee may apply on or after thirty (30) days
from date of issuance of the restricted Class D license with a
motorcycle-only restriction to have the restriction of being
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accompanied by a licensed driver removed by successfully completing
the driving portion of an examination.
The written examination and driving examin ation for a restricted
Class D license with a motorcycle-only endorsement shall be waived
by Service Oklahoma upon verification that the person has
successfully completed a c ertified state-approved motorcycle basic
rider course approved by the Department and Service Oklahoma.
I. Service Oklahoma may in its discretion issue a sp ecial
permit to any person who has attained the age of fourteen (14)
years, authorizing such person to operate farm vehicles between the
farm and the market to haul commodities grown on the farm; provided,
that the special permit shall be temporary and sha ll expire not more
than thirty (30) days after the issuance of the special permit.
Special permits shall be issued only to farm residents and shall be
issued only during the time of the harvest of the principal crops
grown on such farm. Provided, however, Service Oklahoma shall not
issue a special permit pursuant to this subsection until Service
Oklahoma is fully satisfied after the examination of the application
and other evidence furnished in support thereof, that the pe rson is
physically and mentally developed to such a degree that the
operation of a motor vehicle by the person would not be inimi cal to
public safety.
J. As used in this section:
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1. “Hand-held electronic device” means a mobile teleph one or
electronic device with which a user engages in a telephone call,
plays or stores media, including but not limited to music and video,
or sends or reads a text message while requiring the use of at least
one hand; and
2. “Using a hand-held electronic device” means engaging any
function on an electronic device.
K. All driver education courses provided for in paragraph 1 of
subsection C of this section sha ll include education regarding the
dangers of texting while driving and the effects of being unde r the
influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance while driving.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, dated 04/11/2023 -
DO PASS.