SB640: Bill Text

LRB-4728/1

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2005 - 2006 LEGISLATURE

2005 Senate BILL 640

February 28, 2006 - Introduced by Senators Lazich and S. Fitzgerald, cosponsored by Representatives Petrowski, Stone, Ott, Pettis, Krawczyk and Boyle. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Transportation.

SB640,2,3 An Act to repeal 343.63 (title), 343.63 (3) and (6), 343.64 (title) and (1) (intro.), 343.64 (1) (d), 343.65 (title), 343.65 (1) (intro.) and (a), 343.665 (title), 343.67, 343.675, 343.68, 343.70 (title), 343.71 (1) and 343.72 (8); to renumber 343.72 (4); to renumber and amend 343.60 (1), 343.60 (4), 343.61 (3), 343.61 (4), 343.61 (5), 343.61 (6), 343.62 (3), 343.63 (intro.), (1), (2), (4) and (5), 343.63 (5m), 343.64 (1) (a), 343.64 (1) (b), 343.64 (1) (c), 343.64 (1) (e), 343.64 (1) (f), 343.64 (1) (g), 343.64 (2), 343.65 (1) (b), 343.65 (2), 343.66, 343.665 (1), 343.665 (2), 343.69, 343.70 (1), 343.70 (2), 343.71 (intro.), 343.71 (2), 343.71 (3), 343.72 (2), 343.72 (3), 343.72 (5) and 343.72 (9); to amend 343.60 (3), 343.61 (1), 343.62 (1), 343.66 (title), 343.69 (title), 343.71 (title), 343.72 (1), 343.72 (6), 343.72 (7), 343.72 (11), 343.72 (12) and 343.73; to repeal and recreate 343.61 (title) and 343.62 (title); and to create 343.60 (1) (c), (d) and (e), 343.60 (1g), 343.61 (2) (a) 3., 343.61 (2) (a) 4., 343.61 (2) (am), 343.61 (2m) (intro.), 343.61 (3) (b), (c) and (d), 343.61 (3m) (b), 343.61 (5m), 343.62 (3) (a) 2., 343.62 (3) (b), 343.62 (4) (a) 3., 343.62 (4) (c), 343.69 (2), 343.71 (5) and 343.72 (5m) of the statutes; relating to: licensing and activities of driver schools and instructors, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) licenses driver education schools. A driver education school is a school that gives, for compensation, instruction for driving a motor vehicle, except that a program that is offered as a course in a high school or technical college is not considered a driver education school under current law. This bill changes the standards for licensing, testing, and regulating driver education schools and driver education instructors.

The bill raises the license fee from $75 to $95 and extends the license period for driver schools from the end of the calendar year after issuance to up to 24 months after issuance. Under the bill, a driver school must provide DOT with proof of insurance, in an amount determined by DOT, in order to be licensed.

The bill extends the license period for instructors from one year to up to 24 months and adds the requirement that a driver education instructor be at least 19 years of age and have at least two years of licensed driving experience. If a person wishes to be an instructor, he or she must pass testing by DOT. Under the bill, if a person fails two tests, the person must wait for at least one year before he or she may be tested again. The bill also requires DOT to test applicants for driver education instructors for communication and teaching skills.

Under the bill, any driver education school may be authorized by DOT to provide knowledge tests for students under age 18 and for instructors at the school. The bill allows DOT to set rules for safety standards for training vehicles and provides DOT broader discretion in setting disqualifying offenses for driver education school directors.

Under current law, a person who commits a violation of the driver education school standards may be fined not less than $25 nor more than $100 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days for each offense. This bill requires DOT to set a system of progressive enforcement action taken against licensees for violations, and states that a person who commits a violation of the driver education school or instructor standards may be fined not less than $100 nor more than $200 for each violation.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB640, s. 1 Section 1. 343.60 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 343.60 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB640,3,5 343.60 (1) (intro.) "Driver school" means the a business of giving that gives instruction, for compensation, in the driving operation of motor vehicles, except that it does not include a any of the following:

SB640,3,10 (a) A high school or technical college which that teaches driver training as part of its regular school program and whose course of study in driver training meets the criteria for a driver education course under this chapter has been approved by the department of public instruction or technical college system board and it does not include an.

SB640,3,12 (b) An institution of higher learning which that teaches driver training as part of its teacher training program.

SB640, s. 2 Section 2. 343.60 (1) (c), (d) and (e) of the statutes are created to read:

SB640,3,15 343.60 (1) (c) A motorcycle training school that offers a basic or experienced rider training course approved by the department.

SB640,3,17 (d) Any driver training school that offers training exclusively in the operation of vehicles designed and manufactured for off-highway operation.

SB640,3,18 (e) An instructor.

SB640, s. 3 Section 3. 343.60 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:

SB640,4,3 343.60 (1g) "Driver school classroom" means any facility that is approved by the department and used to conduct driver training, but does not include a motor vehicle.

SB640, s. 4 Section 4. 343.60 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB640,4,9 343.60 (3) "Instructor" means any person who is employed by a driver school licensed under this chapter and who, for compensation, gives instruction in the driving operation of a motor vehicle , except a person who is employed as a full time instructor by a high school, technical college or institution of higher learning as provided in sub. (1).

SB640, s. 5 Section 5. 343.60 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 343.60 (1m) and amended to read:

SB640,4,14 343.60 (1m) "Place of business Driver school office" means the location at which the driver school business is conducted and approved by the department. "Driver school office" does not include any facility used only as a driver school classroom.

SB640, s. 6 Section 6. 343.61 (title) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:

SB640,4,16 343.61 (title) Driver school requirements.

SB640, s. 7 Section 7. 343.61 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB640,4,22 343.61 (1) The department shall issue and renew driver school licenses in conformity with the requirements of this subchapter. No person shall conduct may operate a driver school without being licensed therefor, advertise, solicit bids for business, or provide services unless the person holds a valid driver school license issued by the department.

SB640, s. 8 Section 8. 343.61 (2) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

SB640,4,25 343.61 (2) (a) 3. Identification of all driver school office and driver school classroom locations.

SB640, s. 9 Section 9. 343.61 (2) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

SB640,5,2 343.61 (2) (a) 4. Proof of insurance required under sub. (3m) (a).

SB640, s. 10 Section 10. 343.61 (2) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

SB640,5,7 343.61 (2) (am) A driver school may provide to the department a written certification that the driver school has complied with all applicable driver school office and driver school classroom requirements imposed under this subchapter or under any rule promulgated by the department under this subchapter.

SB640, s. 11 Section 11. 343.61 (2m) (intro.) of the statutes is created to read:

SB640,5,10 343.61 (2m) (intro.) The department may not issue or renew a driver school license if any of the following applies:

SB640, s. 12 Section 12. 343.61 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 343.61 (3) (a) 1. and amended to read:

SB640,5,14 343.61 (3) (a) 1. The required fee for any driver school license, or for any annual renewal thereof, is $75 or, for licenses issued or renewed after August 31, 1998, $95.

SB640, s. 13 Section 13. 343.61 (3) (b), (c) and (d) of the statutes are created to read:

SB640,5,18 343.61 (3) (b) In addition to the fee under par. (a), an applicant or licensee under this section shall pay a one-time fee of $10 for each mailing address where one or more driver school classrooms are located.

SB640,5,19 (c) The fee for a duplicate license certificate provided under sub. (4) (a) is $10.

SB640,5,21 (d) The department shall charge a fee of $10 for any change to a license certificate, including a change in the location of a driver school office.

SB640, s. 14 Section 14. 343.61 (3m) (b) of the statutes is created to read: