SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5817

As of February 18, 2003

Title: An act relating to driver training schools.

Brief Description: Shifting approval of driver training schools from the superintendent of public instruction to the department of licensing.

Sponsors: Senators Finkbeiner, Johnson, Schmidt and Mulliken.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Education: 2/25/03.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Staff: Heather Lewis-Lechner (786-7448)

Background: Washington residents under age 18 are required to take a driver training class in order to obtain a driver's license, except under limited and specific circumstances. These individuals may take their training classes at their public high school or at a commercial driver training school.

All commercial driver training schools and their instructors must meet standards established by the Department of Licensing (DOL) and must be annually approved by DOL. The standards are set by DOL with the advice of the driver instructor advisory committee. The advisory committee must update instructor certification standards and must take into consideration the teacher certification standards used by the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the State Board of Education (SBE).

OSPI sets the standards and approves traffic safety education classes conducted in public high schools.

Summary of Bill: The responsibility for course standards, instructor certification standards, and annual approval for traffic safety education classes conducted in high school is transferred from OSPI to the DOL.

The driver instructor advisory committee is renamed the driver training school advisory committee. When updating instructor certification standards, the advisory committee must take into consideration the teacher certification standards used by the SBE for those instructors teaching children under the age of 18.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 13, 2003.

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