Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:3310 Primary Sponsor:Rama Committee Number:30 Type of Legislation:GB Subject:Driver license, safety requirements Residing Body:House Computer Document Number:DKA/3059.AL Introduced Date:Jan 24, 1991 Last History Body:House Last History Date:Mar 04, 1992 Last History Type:Referred to Committee Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Rama Type of Legislation:General Bill
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN
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3310 House Mar 04, 1992 Referred to Committee 30
3310 House Mar 04, 1992 Committee recommended that 21
the Bill be referred to Ways
and Means Committee
3310 House Jan 24, 1991 Introduced, read first time, 21
referred to Committee
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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 56-1-55 SO AS TO REQUIRE APPLICANTS FOR A DRIVER'S LICENSE TO COMPLETE A COURSE ON SAFE DRIVING AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG EDUCATION; AND TO AMEND THE 1976 CODE BY ADDING SECTION 59-29-51 SO AS TO REQUIRE AS A PART OF HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM A COURSE IN MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATION AND HIGHWAY SAFETY.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 56-1-55. (A) No driver's license may be issued to a person under eighteen years of age unless the applicant presents to the department a certificate of the successful completion:
(1) of a full course of study in motor vehicle operation in a public secondary school, a state vocational school, or a private secondary school as provided in Section 59-29-51 or of training of similar nature provided by a licensed driver training school approved by the department, including, in each case, successful completion of not less than six hours of behind-the-wheel, on-the-road instruction;
(2) of a course of not less than five hours relating to safe driving practices, including a minimum of two hours on the nature and the medical, biological, and physiological effects of alcohol and drugs and their impact on the operation of a motor vehicle, the dangers associated with the operation of a motor vehicle after the consumption of alcohol or drugs by the operator, the problems of alcohol and drug abuse, and the penalties for alcohol and drug related motor vehicle violations; and
(3) passes an examination as prescribed by the department.
(B) The department shall approve the content of the safe driving instruction at licensed driver training schools and the State Superintendent of Education shall approve the content of the instruction at high schools and other secondary schools. Five hours of instruction must be included as part of or in addition to any existing instruction programs. The fee charged for the course must not exceed twenty-five dollars.
(C) The department may accept as evidence of sufficient training a certificate signed by the spouse of a married minor applicant, or by a parent, grandparent, foster parent, or the legal guardian of an applicant which states that the applicant has successfully completed a driving course taught by the person signing the certificate and that the signer has had a driver's license for at least four years preceding the date of the certificate. If the applicant has no spouse, parent, grandparent, foster parent, or guardian qualified and available to give the instruction, a certificate signed by the applicant's stepparent, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt, by blood or marriage, may be accepted by the department provided the person signing the certificate is qualified. The department shall provide forms for the certificates, which are called home training certificates. Each certificate must be on file with the department for thirty days before the applicant may take the examination.
(D) The department may adopt regulations to implement the purposes of this section concerning the content of safe driving instruction at driver's schools."
SECTION 2. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-29-51. (A) The State Board of Education shall prepare for use in all high schools and other secondary schools under its supervision a course of study of motor vehicle operation and highway safety.
(B) Each local and regional board of education may provide a course of instruction in motor vehicle operation and highway safety on a secondary school level. The course shall consist of not less than thirty hours of classroom instruction offered during or after school hours. The board, in its discretion, may provide or include behind-the-wheel instruction of not less than six hours. The course must be open to enrollment by any person between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, inclusive, who is a resident of the town or school district or whose parent, parents, or legal guardian owns property taxable in that town or school district. The board may contract for behind-the-wheel instruction with a licensed driver training school.
(C) The board may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5 of this title, to implement the purposes of this section concerning the content of safe driving instruction in high schools and other secondary schools."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.