Title: An act relating to parent taught driver training education courses.

Brief Description: Regarding parent taught driver training education courses.

Sponsors: Senators Swecker, Benton, Sheldon, Pflug and Delvin.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Transportation: 2/14/07.

Ways & Means: 2/27/07.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Staff: Martha Hankins (786-7429)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Staff: Kirstan Arestad (786-7708)

Background: Persons under age 18 wishing to obtain a driver's license in the state of Washington must satisfy a traffic safety education requirement. Under current law, they may satisfy this requirement one of two ways. They can take a traffic safety education course offered by a school and approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, or they can take a course offered by a driver training school regulated by the Department of Licensing (DOL).

Summary of Bill: Parents teaching their own children are included in the definitions of qualified teachers and instructors of traffic safety education.

The DOL may review and approve commercially available parent taught driver safety education and driver training courses designed for home use.

Parents can purchase a commercially available driver education course and use this course to provide parent taught driver training and traffic safety education for their own children. Parents must use a course reviewed and approved by the DOL. Parent taught driver training satisfies Washington's traffic safety education requirement.
                        
The DOL may charge a fee for enrollment in the parent taught driver education and training program but the fee may not exceed the department's actual administrative costs related to oversight of the program.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Parents need to know what their kids are being taught in order to help them become safe and effective drivers. Parents are the best and most important teachers because they care the most about their children. Parents' love and careful attention is better than that available in commercial schools. Commercial driving schools are trying to make a profit. Driver training costs a lot of money at the commercial driving schools, and, with no increased benefit, it isn't worth the cost. Parents should have the option of teaching their own children to drive.

CON: Some parents may not be the most effective at teaching their own children.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Wayne Tully, National Driver Training; Ashlee Alley, Alan Brannan, youths; Katherine Bradrick, citizen; DiAnna Brannan, Christian Homeschool Network; Lisa Brooks, parent.

CON: Gerald Apple, Washington Traffic Safety Education Association.