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