Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0670 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0670
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7	7	LC000317
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUF FEURS'
16	16	LICENSES
17	17	Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, and Zurier
18	18	Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Legislative findings. 1
24	24	(a) The Rhode Island Department of Education has temporarily authorized driving 2
25	25	education schools to deliver the 33-hour CCRI-approved driver training curriculum in an 3
26	26	instructorled virtual format since April 2020. 4
27	27	(b) The virtual platform used to present the curriculum allows the instructor to see the 5
28	28	students on-screen and monitor student engagement by providing spot quizzes, interactive Q&A 6
29	29	sessions, class polling and a final exam. 7
30	30	(c) Scores for exams taken in a classroom setting (pre-pandemic) and those taken virtually 8
31	31	are comparable (90.94 on average for in-person vs. 89.58 on average for virtual). 9
32	32	(d) Virtual instruction can provide workable alternatives to students with physical, 10
33	33	emotional, or other learning challenges. 11
34	34	(e) A virtual instruction option promotes greater accessibility to the curriculum advancing 12
35	35	equity and inclusion. 13
36	36	(f) A virtual option can be particularly important in rural areas or Rhode Island 14
37	37	communities where no classroom instruction is available. 15
38	38	SECTION 2. Section 31-10-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10 entitled "Operators’ 16
39	39	and Chauffeurs’ Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: 17
40	40	31-10-20. Driver education course requirement before licensing. 18
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44	44	(a) No limited-instruction permit or license shall be issued to any person not more than 1
45	45	eighteen (18) years of age unless that person shall have successfully completed a course of 2
46	46	instruction conducted in a classroom setting or in an instructor-led virtual format as provided in § 3
47	47	31-10-19, or a similar course of instruction recognized by the state board of education as equivalent 4
48	48	to it. However, any person who is over eighteen (18) years of age and has been a holder of a motor 5
49	49	vehicle operator’s license issued to that person by any other state, territory, or possession of the 6
50	50	United States, or any other sovereignty for a period of one year immediately prior to his or her 7
51	51	application for a license under this chapter shall not be required to comply with the provisions of 8
52	52	this section. 9
53	53	(b) Commencing on July 1, 2004, no limited-instruction permit or license shall be issued 10
54	54	to any person not more than eighteen (18) years of age unless that person shall have successfully 11
55	55	completed a course of instruction as provided in § 31-10-19, or a similar course of instruction in 12
56	56	another state recognized by the state board of education as equivalent to it. In determining whether 13
57	57	a course is equivalent, the state board of education shall at a minimum require: (1) That the course 14
58	58	consist of at least thirty-three (33) instructional hours that substantially conform with the current 15
59	59	curriculum utilized by the instructor(s) at the Community College of Rhode Island, including a 16
60	60	minimum of three (3) hours of instruction focusing upon specific Rhode Island traffic laws, the 17
61	61	specific requirements of the Rhode Island graduated-licensing statute in § 31-10-6, and eight (8) 18
62	62	hours specifically for instruction on the effects of alcohol and drugs on a driver. All driver’s 19
63	63	education programs shall include information concerning the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift 20
64	64	Act, chapter 18.6.1 of title 23, and information on donor cards pursuant to the applicable provisions 21
65	65	of chapter 18.6.1 of title 23; (2) That the instructor holds a valid teacher’s certificate; (3) That the 22
66	66	instructor satisfactorily completes at least a three-credit (3) course in traffic safety education at an 23
67	67	accredited institution of higher education; and (4) That the program does not offer outside the 24
68	68	classroom road test instruction or driving lessons to Rhode Island students. However, any person 25
69	69	who is over eighteen (18) years of age and has been a holder of a motor vehicle operator’s license 26
70	70	issued to that person by any other state, territory, or possession of the United States, or any other 27
71	71	sovereignty for a period of one year immediately prior to his or her application for a license under 28
72	72	this chapter shall not be required to comply with the provisions of this section. 29
73	73	(c) The driver’s education course and driver’s license examination shall include material 30
74	74	pertaining to a driver’s rights and responsibilities when stopped by a law enforcement officer as 31
75	75	explained during the driver education course, including, but not limited to, rights provided to 32
76	76	drivers pursuant to chapter 21.2 of title 31, the “comprehensive community-police relationship act 33
77	77	of 2015.” 34
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81	81	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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88	88	EXPLANATION
89	89	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
90	90	OF
91	91	A N A C T
92	92	RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUF FEURS'
93	93	LICENSES
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95	95	This act would amend the driver education course requirement before licensing to allow 1
96	96	instructor-led virtual format course instruction. 2
97	97	This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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