BILL NUMBER: S7022

SPONSOR: KENNEDY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to eligibility
for participation in the pre-licensing course internet pilot program

 
PURPOSE:

To remove bathers to online instruction for the five-hour pre-licensing
course.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill removes a prohibition on drivers holding class
DJ and MJ licenses from participating in online pre-licensing courses.
Section two provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

              

Today more and more classes are moving to online based instruction
whether due to convenience of this option or the more recent shift due
to the ongoing pandemic. There is currently a prohibition on 16 and
17-year-old students participating in the required five-hour pre-licens-
ing class in the online format. This legislation removes that prohibi-
tion so that students have the freedom and flexibility to choose between
an online provider or a traditional classroom provider. Many students
will likely remain using classroom providers, but the option should be
available, nonetheless. More than 20 states allow online delivery of
drivers' education, including instruction for younger drivers. Online
instruction allows students to take the class at flexible times through-
out the day to help balance school and work scheduling. Classroom
providers are also limited in the amount of languages they can provide
instruction in, a barrier that is removed with online instruction.
Providing online classes that can be tailored to many different
languages' students may speak or be more comfortable receiving instruc-
tion allows for greater compliance with the ADA. Education starts with
effective engagement. DMV studies overwhelmingly support the fact that
online is a more effective way to engage, and thus educate, younger
generations. This is how many people, particularly young people, learn
best and how they prefer to engage. The majority of the applicants
taking the pre-licensing course are 16 and 17-year old - they are the
category of applicants most well suited to taking an on-line course
-thus removing the prohibition against 16 and 17-year olds from partic-
ipating in the required 5 hour course is a logical step. Additionally,
DMV's ability to monitor the activity of on-line providers and course
participants is far superior to its monitoring of traditional classroom
providers.  On-line programs also offer the ability for the DMV to
reduce fraud and enhance the security of course participants' personal
data.  Originally enacted in 2019 the online classe s have been well
received; this legislation simply extends the option to an additional
class of drivers.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal impacts to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective immediately.