BILL REQ. #:  H-0727.3 

Read first time 01/23/2007.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     AN ACT Relating to providing mobility education to students in driver training programs; amending RCW 46.82.420; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds and declares that it is the policy of the state of Washington to encourage the safe and efficient use of the roads by all citizens, regardless of mode of transportation. In furtherance of this policy, the legislature further finds and declares that driver training programs should enhance the driver training curriculum in order to emphasize the importance of safely sharing the road with bicyclists and pedestrians and educate students regarding the availability of mass transit, bicycling, and walking as mobility options.

Sec. 2   RCW 46.82.420 and 2006 c 219 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The advisory committee shall consult with the department in the development and maintenance of a basic minimum required curriculum and the department shall furnish to each qualifying applicant for an instructor's license or a driver training school license a copy of such curriculum.
     (2) In addition to information on the safe, lawful, and responsible operation of motor vehicles on the state's highways, the basic minimum required curriculum shall include information on:
     (a) Intermediate driver's license issuance, passenger and driving restrictions and sanctions for violating the restrictions, and the effect of traffic violations and collisions on the driving privileges;
     (b) The effects of alcohol and drug use on motor vehicle operators, including information on drug and alcohol related traffic injury and mortality rates in the state of Washington and the current penalties for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol; ((and))
     (c) Motorcycle awareness, approved by the motorcycle safety foundation, to ensure new operators of motor vehicles have been instructed in the importance of safely sharing the road with motorcyclists;
     (d) Bicycle safety, to ensure that operators of motor vehicles have been instructed in (i) the importance of safely sharing the road with bicyclists and (ii) the availability and safe use of bicycling as a mobility option; and
     (e) Pedestrian safety, to ensure that operators of motor vehicles have been instructed in (i) the importance of safely sharing the road with pedestrians and (ii) the availability and safe use of walking as a mobility option.
     (3) Should the director be presented with acceptable proof that any licensed instructor or driver training school is not showing proper diligence in teaching such basic minimum curriculum as required, the instructor or school shall be required to appear before the advisory committee and show cause why the license of the instructor or school should not be revoked for such negligence. If the committee does not accept such reasons as may be offered, the director may revoke the license of the instructor or school, or both.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) A mobility education pilot program is created in the department of licensing to develop a mobility education curriculum for use in driver training schools in Washington and to implement the curriculum as pilot programs in driver training programs in King and Spokane counties.
     (2) The department of licensing must contract with an entity that has recognized expertise in driver training education or mobility education, or both, for the development of a mobility education curriculum for the mobility education pilot program. At a minimum, the curriculum must: Provide education regarding the importance of safely sharing the road with bicyclists and pedestrians; educate students regarding the availability of mass transit, bicycling, and walking as mobility options; and contain both classroom and experiential components. In awarding the contract, the department of licensing must give preference to proposals from entities that (a) have obtained additional funding for the development of the curriculum from nonstate sources and (b) have recognized expertise in both driver training education and mobility education.
     (3) The department of licensing must fund pilot projects to implement the mobility education curriculum in driver training programs in King and Spokane counties. These pilot projects will provide the mobility education curriculum as an additional component to the driver training program at no additional cost to the students enrolled in the program.
     (4) The department of licensing must consult with an advisory committee on the mobility education pilot program.
     (a) The advisory committee will consist of the driver instructors' advisory committee established under RCW 46.82.300, plus a representative selected by the director of the department of licensing from each of the following communities:
     (i) Health;
     (ii) Transit;
     (iii) Environmental;
     (iv) Bicyclists;
     (v) Pedestrians; and
     (vi) Other communities the director deems appropriate.
     (b) The advisory committee must:
     (i) Consult with the department of licensing regarding the awarding of contracts for the development of the mobility education curriculum and the pilot projects;
     (ii) Consult with the department of licensing and the contractor regarding the development of the mobility education curriculum; and
     (iii) Evaluate the pilot projects, with the assistance of the department of licensing, and provide recommendations to the transportation committees of the legislature by June 30, 2009, regarding, at a minimum, curriculum content, cost, implementation, funding, liability, whether mobility education should be a voluntary or mandatory portion of the driver training curriculum, and whether and how to provide the mobility education curriculum statewide.
     (5) This section expires June 30, 2009.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   The sum of three hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2009, from the multimodal fund to the department of licensing for the purposes of section 3 of this act. The amount in this section is provided solely for contracts entered into under section 3 of this act to develop and provide mobility education for students enrolled in driver training programs.