Chapter 327
2004 -- H 8665 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
Enacted 07/03/04
A N A C T
RELATING
TO MOTOR VEHICLES - OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS' LICENSES
Introduced
By: Representatives Anguilla, Lewiss, Winfield, Ajello, and Williams
Date
Introduced: June 16, 2004
It
is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Section 31-10-20 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10 entitled
"Operators'
and
Chauffeurs' Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
31-10-20.
Driver education course requirement before licensing. -- (a) No limited
instruction
permit or license shall be issued to any person not more than eighteen (18)
years of
age
unless that person shall have successfully completed a course of instruction as
provided in
section
31-10-19, or a similar course of instruction recognized by the board of regents
for
elementary
and secondary education governors for higher education as equivalent to it.
However,
any
person who is over eighteen (18) years of age and has been a holder of a motor
vehicle
operator's
license issued to that person by any other state, territory, or possession of
the United
States,
or any other sovereignty for a period of one year immediately prior to his or
her
application
for a license under this chapter shall not be required to comply with the
provisions of
this
section.
(b) Commencing on April July 1, 2004, no limited instruction
permit or license shall be
issued
to any person not more than eighteen (18) years of age unless that person shall
have
successfully
completed a course of instruction as provided in section 31-10-19, or a similar
course
of instruction in another state recognized by the board of regents
for elementary and
secondary
education
governors for higher education as equivalent to it. In determining
whether a
course
is equivalent, the board of regents for elementary and secondary education
governors for
higher
education
shall at a minimum require: (1) that the course consist of at least
thirty-three
(33)
instructional hours; which substantially conform with the current
curriculum utilized by the
instructor(s)
at the Community College of Rhode Island, including a minimum of three (3)
hours
of
instruction focusing upon specific Rhode Island traffic laws, the specific
requirements of the
Rhode
Island graduated licensing statute in section 31-10-6 and eight (8) hours
specifically for
instruction
on the effects of alcohol and drugs on a driver. All driver’s education
programs shall
include
information concerning the Anatomical Gift Act chapter 18.6 of title 23, and
information
on
donor cards pursuant to the applicable provisions of chapter 18.6 of title 23; (2) that the
instructor
holds a valid teacher's certificate; (3) that the instructor satisfactorily
completes at least
a
three (3) credit course in traffic safety education at an accredited
institution of higher education;
and
(4) that the instructor program does not offer outside the classroom
road test instruction or
driving
lessons to Rhode Island students. is not associated in any way with a
commercial driving
school. However, any person who
is over eighteen (18) years of age and has been a holder of a
motor
vehicle operator's license issued to that person by any other state, territory,
or possession of
the
United States, or any other sovereignty for a period of one year immediately
prior to his or her
application
for a license under this chapter shall not be required to comply with the
provisions of
this
section.
SECTION
2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
=======
LC03670/SUB
A/2
=======