NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A494
SPONSOR: Magnarelli (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to driver
education
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to expand access to drivers' education to 16
and 17-year-old students by authorizing driving schools the ability
offer driver education separate and apart from the high school.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends the vehicle and traffic law to authorize
driving schools to offer a driver education course approved by the
Commissioner.
Section 2 of the bill establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, New York State driver's education courses are provided by
local high schools. The courses taught at High Schools must provide each
student at least twenty-four (24) clock hours of classroom instruction
and twenty-four (24) clock hours of in-car instruction. Students must
complete at least six (6) clock hours of actual behind-the-wheel driving
and eighteen (18) clock hours of observation in a teacher-supervised
vehicle. For the classroom in-car instruction, High schools' contract
with commercial driving schools to provide the in-car driving instruc-
tion.
By allowing licensed driving schools to provide this service directly to
the public, independent from the school district system, high school
students that attend a high school that does not offer a driver educa-
tion program or one they can't attend do to scheduling conflicts or any
other reasons will be afforded access to these driver safety programs.
New York State is seeing fewer high schools offer drivers education
leaving many high school students without access to this vital driver
safety program.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A.8979
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None to the State.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
