2025 -- H 5731 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'

LICENSES

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Carson, Hull, Cortvriend, Diaz, Bennett,
Speakman, Caldwell, Alzate, and Kazarian

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2025

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     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 § 31-10-19, or a similar course of instruction, conducted in a classroom

setting or in an instructor-led virtual format, recognized by the state board of education as

equivalent to it. The instructor-led virtual format course shall be permitted for a period of two (2)

years from October 1, 2025 until October 1, 2027, and a report analyzing the test results of the

instructor-led virtual instruction format as compared to the in-person classroom instruction format

shall be provided by the state board of education to the speaker of the house and president of the

senate no later than December 1, 2027. 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 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 § 31-10-19, or a similar course of instruction in

another state recognized by the state board of education as equivalent to it. In determining whether

a course is equivalent, the state board of education shall at a minimum require: (1) That the course

consist of at least thirty-three (33) instructional hours that 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 § 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 Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift

Act, chapter 18.6.1 of title 23, and information on donor cards pursuant to the applicable provisions

of chapter 18.6.1 of title 23; (2) That the instructor holds a valid teacher’s certificate; (3) That the

instructor satisfactorily completes at least a three-credit (3) course in traffic safety education at an

accredited institution of higher education; and (4) That the program does not offer outside the

classroom road test instruction or driving lessons to Rhode Island students. 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.

     (c) The driver’s education course and driver’s license examination shall include material

pertaining to a driver’s rights and responsibilities when stopped by a law enforcement officer as

explained during the driver education course, including, but not limited to, rights provided to

drivers pursuant to chapter 21.2 of title 31, the “comprehensive community-police relationship act

of 2015.”

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'

LICENSES

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     This act would authorize driver education schools to offer the driver training curriculum in

a classroom setting or an instructor-led virtual format for a two (2) year period from October 1,

2025 to October 1, 2027 after which a report analyzing test results would be provided by the board

of education.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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