AN ACT CONCERNING PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS FOR YOUTH INSTRUCTION PERMIT HOLDERS.

Senate
sSB234 / File No. 451 1

General Assembly File No. 451
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 234

Senate, April 7, 2026

The Committee on Transportation reported through SEN.
COHEN of the 12th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the
part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS FOR YOUTH
INSTRUCTION PERMIT HOLDERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 14 -36 of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(c) (1) A person who is sixteen or seventeen years of age and who has 4
not had a motor vehicle operator's license or right to operate a motor 5
vehicle in this state suspended or revoked may apply to the 6
commissioner for a youth instruction permit. The commissioner may 7
issue a youth instruction permit to an applicant after the applicant has 8
(A) passed a test as to knowledge of the laws concerning motor vehicles 9
and the rules of the road, (B) paid the fee required by subsection (v) of 10
section 14 -49, (C) passed a vision screening conducted by the 11
Department of Motor Vehicles or submitted to the commissioner the 12
results of a vision examination conducted by a licensed medical 13
professional, as defined in section 14-46b, that certifies that the applicant 14
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meets the vision standards established in regulations adopted pursuant 15
to section 14 -45a, and (D) filed a certificate, in such form as the 16
commissioner prescribes, requesting or consenting to the issuance of the 17
youth instruction permit and the motor vehicle operator's license, 18
signed by (i) one or both parents or foster parents of the applicant, as 19
the commissioner requires, (ii) the legal guardian of the applicant, (iii) 20
the applicant's spouse, if the spouse is eighteen years of age or older, or 21
(iv) if the applicant has no qualified spouse and such applicant's parent 22
or foster parent or legal guardian is deceased, incapable, domiciled 23
outside of this state or otherwise unavailable or unable to sign or file the 24
certificate, the applicant's stepparent, grandparent, or uncle or aunt by 25
blood or marriage, provided such person is eighteen years of age or 26
older. The commissioner may, for the more efficient administration of 27
the commissioner's duties, appoint any drivers' school licensed in 28
accordance with the provisions of section 14-69 or any secondary school 29
providing instruction in motor vehicle operation and highway safety in 30
accordance with section 14 -36e to issue a youth instruction permit, 31
subject to such standards and requirements as the commissioner may 32
prescribe in regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of 33
chapter 54. Each youth instruction permit shall expire two years from 34
the date of issuance or on the date the holder of the permit is issued a 35
motor vehicle operator's license, whichever is earlier. Any holder of a 36
youth instruction permit who attains eighteen years of age may retain 37
such permit until the expiration of such permit. (2) The youth 38
instruction permit shall entitle the holder, while such holder has the 39
permit in his or her immediate possession, to operate a motor vehicle on 40
the public highways, provided such holder is under the instruction of, 41
and accompanied by, a person who holds an instructor's license issued 42
under the provisions of section 14-73 or a person twenty years of age or 43
older who has been licensed to operate, for at least four years preceding 44
the instruction, a motor vehicle of the same class as the motor vehicle 45
being operated and who has not had his or her motor vehicle operator's 46
license suspended by the commissioner during the four -year period 47
preceding the instruction. (3) Unless the holder of the permit is under 48
the instruction of and accompanied by a person who holds an 49
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instructor's license issued under the provisions of section 14 -73, no 50
passenger in addition to the person providing instruction shall be 51
transported unless such passenger is either (A) a parent or legal 52
guardian of the holder of the permit , or (B) a sibling of such holder of 53
the permit and such sibling also holds a youth instruction permit issued 54
under the provisions of this section. (4) The holder of a youth instruction 55
permit who (A) is an active member of a certified ambulance service, as 56
defined in section 19a -175, (B) has commenced an emergency vehicle 57
operator's course that conforms to the national standard curriculum 58
developed by the United States Department of Transportation, and (C) 59
has had state and national criminal history records checks conducted by 60
the certified ambulance service or by the municipality in which such 61
ambulance service is provided, shall be exempt from the provisions of 62
subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection only when such holder is 63
driving to or from the location of the ambulance for purposes of 64
responding to an emergency call. (5) The commissioner may revoke any 65
youth instruction permit used in violation of the limitations imposed by 66
subdivision (2) or (3) of this subsection. 67
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 14-36(c)

TRA Joint Favorable Subst.

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
State Resources GF&TF -
Potential
Revenue Loss
Minimal Minimal
Note: GF&TF=General Fund & Transportation Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill, which allows 16- and 17-year-old learner’s permit holders to
have their sibling as a passenger during driving instruction in certain
circumstances, results in a minimal potential revenue loss to the state
from fewer fines.1
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to the number of offenses and fines
collected.

1 Between FY 22 and FY 25, there were a total of 845 offenses recorded and $ 9,840 in
fines collected under CGS § 14-36(c).
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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 234

AN ACT CONCERNING PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS FOR YOUTH
INSTRUCTION PERMIT HOLDERS.

SUMMARY
This bill allows 16- and 17-year-old learner’s permit holders to have
their sibling as a passenger during driving instruction if the sibling also
holds a learner’s permit.
By law, learner’s permit holders may drive only if they have a
licensed driver (age 20 or older with at least four years of licensure)
riding with and instructing them. Under current law, the only
passengers 16 - and 17 -year-old permit holders may have during this
instruction are their parents or legal guardians, unless they are being
instructed by a licensed driving instructor (for example, as a part of a
driver’s education course).
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Transportation Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 36 Nay 0 (03/16/2026)