DRIVER EDUCATION COVID-19 RESPONSE.

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View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
House Bill 1189 (Public) Filed Tuesday, May 26, 2020
AN ACT TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DRIVER EDUCATION COURSEWORK INTERRUPTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES IN THE SPRING SEMESTER OF 2020 AND TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO TEMPORARILY WAIVE THE ROAD TEST REQUIREMENT.
Intro. by Elmore, Torbett, Hurley.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Jun 4 2020)

SOG comments (2):

Long title change

House committee substitute to the 1st edition changed the long title. Original title was AN ACT TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DRIVER EDUCATION COURSEWORK INTERRUPTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES AND TO ENSURE SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR BEHIND-THE-WHEEL DRIVING INSTRUCTION TO BE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN DRIVER EDUCATION IN THE SPRING SEMESTER OF 2020.

Long title change

House committee substitute to the 2nd edition changed the long title.  Previous title was AN ACT TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DRIVER EDUCATION COURSEWORK INTERRUPTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES AND TO ENSURE SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR BEHIND-THE-WHEEL DRIVING INSTRUCTION TO BE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN DRIVER EDUCATION IN THE SPRING SEMESTER OF 2020; AND TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES TO TEMPORARILY WAIVE THE ROAD TEST REQUIREMENT.

H 1189

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Jun 3 2020 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 3rd edition.

    Deletes the act's provisions in Section 2 about waiving the road test requirement for a regular drivers license or limited provisional licence and requiring the issuance of a temporary license. Instead, requires the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to waive the road test requirements for applicants for a limited provisional license if the applicant meets all other requirements for the license. Expires when DMV resumes administering regularly scheduled road tests but no later than 180 days from the act's effective date.

    Appropriates $10,000 in nonrecurring funds for 2020-21 from the General Fund to the DMV to develop and maintain a list of individuals issued a limited provisional license following waiver of the road test. Effective July 1, 2020. 


  • Summary date: Jun 3 2020 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 2nd edition.

    Deletes the proposed $10 million appropriation to the Department of Public Instruction for 2020-21 for driver education. 

    Changes the act's long title.


  • Summary date: Jun 2 2020 - View Summary

    House committee substitute makes the following changes to the 1st edition.

    Modifies the proposed accommodations for interrupted driver education coursework. Now, deems students enrolled in classroom driver education between January 2020 and March 16, 2020, in a public school or a licensed commercial driver training school to have completed all driver education classroom instruction requirements if the student completed at least 15 hours, rather than 20 hours, of classroom instruction before March 16, 2020. Requires giving students who have not completed at least 15 hours of classroom instruction the opportunity to take and pass the proficiency exam developed by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), as provided in specified State Board of Education policy (previously not included), to waive the classroom instruction requirement. Adds a new provision authorizing public schools to resume driver education programs consistent with DPI guidance.

    Adds new provisions to require the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue temporary regular drivers licenses and limited provisional licenses without the applicant passing a road test if the applicant meets all other licensure requirements and provides proof of required financial responsibility under state law. Requires that the temporary licenses must expire no later than 90 days from issuance, and authorizes the DMV to issue additional temporary licenses consistent with the act's requirements if the administration of regularly scheduled road tests have not resumed upon expiration. Sunsets these provisions when the DMV resumes administering regularly scheduled road tests, with a required sunset of no later than 180 days from the date the act becomes law.

    Changes the act's titles.


  • Summary date: May 26 2020 - View Summary

    Deems students enrolled in classroom driver education between January 2020 and March 16, 2020, in a public school or a licensed commercial driver training school, to have completed all driver education classroom instruction requirements if the student completed at least 20 hours of classroom instruction before March 16, 2020. Requires giving students who have not completed at least 20 hours of classroom instruction the opportunity to take and pass the proficiency exam developed by the Department of Public Instruction to waive the classroom instruction requirement. Requires students enrolled in driver education in the spring of 2020 to complete a minimum of six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction before being issued a North Carolina Driver Education Completion Certificate.

    Appropriates $10 million in nonrecurring funds for 2020-21 from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for the driver education allotment. Require the funds to be allotted pro rata to local school administrative units based on the amount of funds that reverted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund from each unit's driver education allotment on June 30, 2020. Effective July 1, 2020.