S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  605--A
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Transportation --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,
   ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to adding a
   "School Bus Safety" awareness component to the pre-licensing  driver's
   education course
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) and  paragraphs  (b)  and
 (d)  of  subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
 amended by chapter 355 of the laws of 2017, are amended and a new  para-
 graph (c-4) is added to read as follows:
   (i)  Upon  submission  of  an  application for a driver's license, the
 applicant shall be required to take and pass a test, or submit  evidence
 of  passage of a test, with respect to the laws relating to traffic, the
 laws relating to driving while ability is impaired and while  intoxicat-
 ed,  under the overpowering influence of "Road Rage", "Work Zone Safety"
 awareness and "Motorcycle Safety" awareness as defined  by  the  commis-
 sioner,  "SCHOOL  BUS  SAFETY" AWARENESS, the law relating to exercising
 due care to avoid colliding with a parked, stopped or  standing  author-
 ized  emergency  vehicle  or  hazard  vehicle pursuant to section eleven
 hundred forty-four-a of this chapter, the ability to read and comprehend
 traffic signs and symbols and such other matters as the commissioner may
 prescribe, and to satisfactorily complete a  course  prescribed  by  the
 commissioner  of  not less than four hours and not more than five hours,
 consisting of classroom driver training and highway  safety  instruction
 or  the equivalent thereof. Such test shall include at least seven writ-
 ten questions concerning the effects of consumption of alcohol or  drugs
 on  the ability of a person to operate a motor vehicle and the legal and
 financial consequences  resulting  from  violations  of  section  eleven
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04788-06-9

 A. 605--A                           2
 
 hundred ninety-two of this chapter, prohibiting the operation of a motor
 vehicle  while  under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Such test shall
 include one or more written questions concerning the devastating effects
 of "Road Rage" on the ability of a person to operate a motor vehicle and
 the  legal and financial consequences resulting from assaulting, threat-
 ening or interfering with the lawful conduct of another  person  legally
 using  the  roadway.  Such  test  shall  include  one  or more questions
 concerning the potential dangers to persons and equipment resulting from
 the unsafe operation of a motor vehicle in a work zone.  Such  test  may
 include  one  or  more questions concerning motorcycle safety. Such test
 may include one or more questions concerning the law for exercising  due
 care  to  avoid  colliding  with  a  parked, stopped or standing vehicle
 pursuant to section eleven hundred forty-four-a of this chapter.    SUCH
 TEST  MAY  INCLUDE  ONE  OR MORE QUESTIONS CONCERNING SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
 Such test shall be administered by the  commissioner.  The  commissioner
 shall  cause  the  applicant  to take a vision test and a test for color
 blindness. Upon passage of the  vision  test,  the  application  may  be
 accepted and the application fee shall be payable.
   (b)  Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in para-
 graph (a) of this subdivision which shall include an  alcohol  and  drug
 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
 "Road  Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of this
 subdivision and a "Work Zone Safety" awareness component as described in
 paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision, [and] a "Motorcycle Safety"  aware-
 ness  component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, AND
 A "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" AWARENESS  COMPONENT  AS  DESCRIBED  IN  PARAGRAPH
 (C-4)  OF THIS SUBDIVISION the commissioner shall cause the applicant to
 take a road test in a representative vehicle of a type prescribed by the
 commissioner which shall be appropriate to the type of license for which
 application is made, except that the commissioner  may  waive  the  road
 test  requirements  for  certain classes of applicants. The commissioner
 shall have the power to establish a program to allow persons other  than
 employees  of  the  department  to  conduct road tests in representative
 vehicles when such tests are required for applicants to obtain  a  class
 A,  B  or  C  license.  If she chooses to do so, she shall set forth her
 reasons in writing and conduct a public hearing on the matter. She shall
 only establish such a program after holding the public hearing.
   (C-4) "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" AWARENESS COMPONENT.  (I)  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PROVIDE IN THE PRE-LICENSING COURSE, SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION, A MANDATORY COMPONENT IN "SCHOOL BUS SAFETY" AWARENESS
 EDUCATION  AS  A PREREQUISITE FOR OBTAINING A LICENSE TO OPERATE A MOTOR
 VEHICLE. THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPONENT IS TO EDUCATE  PROSPECTIVE  LICEN-
 SEES  ON  THE  DANGERS  OF  PASSING A SCHOOL BUS IN VIOLATION OF SECTION
 ELEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER, TO  REDUCE  THE  NUMBER  OF
 SUCH INCIDENTS, AND TO PROMOTE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY.
   (II) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ESTABLISH A CURRICULUM FOR THE "SCHOOL BUS
 SAFETY" AWARENESS COMPONENT WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMIT-
 ED  TO,  AN  OVERVIEW  OF  TRAFFIC LAWS GOVERNING OVERTAKING AND PASSING
 SCHOOL BUSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED SEVEN-
 TY-ONE AND SECTION ELEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR OF THIS CHAPTER.
   (III) IN DEVELOPING SUCH CURRICULUM, THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL  CONSULT
 WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION.
   (d) The commissioner shall make available for distribution upon regis-
 tration  at  each location where the pre-licensing course will be given,
 instructional handbooks outlining the content of the  entire  curriculum
 of  the  pre-licensing  course  including the information required to be

 A. 605--A                           3
 
 included in the course pursuant to paragraphs (c), (c-1),  (c-2)  [and],
 (c-3) AND (C-4) of this subdivision. The commissioner shall also provide
 for  the additional training of the instructors necessary for the compe-
 tent  instruction  of the alcohol and drug education, "Road Rage" aware-
 ness, "Work Zone Safety" awareness [and], "Motorcycle Safety"  awareness
 AND  "SCHOOL  BUS SAFETY" AWARENESS subject matters of the pre-licensing
 course.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.