Read the full stored bill text
H8603A
2026 -- H 8603 SUBSTITUTE A
========
LC006527/SUB A
========
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'
LICENSES
Introduced By:
Representatives Casimiro, Giraldo, McNamara, Read, Cotter, Donovan,
Shallcross Smith, Spears, and Hopkins
Date Introduced:
May 29, 2026
Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 31-10-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-10 entitled "Operators’
2
and Chauffeurs’ Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3
31-10-19. Driver education — Traffic safety education. [Effective until contingency in
4
P.L. 2017, ch. 156 and 160 is met.]
5
(a) The community college of Rhode Island shall provide thirty-three (33) hours of
6
classroom instruction for applicants or prospective applicants, not more than twenty-one (21) years
7
of age for a limited instruction permit or license. The instruction shall include eight (8) hours,
8
specifically for instruction on the effects of alcohol and drugs on a driver, and the instruction shall
9
be given by a person eligible for a teacher’s certificate issued under the authority of the state board
10
of regents and which course of instruction shall be approved by the board of governors for higher
11
education. In case of emergency, the president of the community college of Rhode Island may
12
declare, when no certified instructor is available to teach, an individual eligible to teach at the
13
community college of Rhode Island who has taken the required course of instruction in driver
14
education, may provide driver education instruction. All driver education programs shall include
15
information concerning the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, chapter 18.6.1 of title 23, and
16
information on donor cards pursuant to the applicable provisions of chapter 18.6.1 of title 23. The
17
board of governors for higher education shall ensure that each person properly certified and
18
approved to instruct driver education courses shall be given an equal opportunity for employment
1
as an instructor within the driver education program. No person teaching driver education under
2
this section shall own, be employed by, or be associated with a commercial driving school.
3
(b) Driver education instruction shall be available to any eligible resident applicant not less
4
than fifteen (15) years and ten (10) months of age.
5
(c) That the state shall also provide a separate program of instruction, as previously set
6
forth in this section, for special needs students whose individual education plan (IEP) indicates a
7
need for a separate program of instruction.
8
(d) The community college of Rhode Island shall provide a driver training program for
9
physically handicapped drivers. The program shall instruct the physically handicapped driver in
10
the operation of adapted vehicles for the handicapped. The adapted vehicles are to be provided by
11
the handicapped individual. A physically handicapped person must be certified by a licensed
12
physician that he or she is physically handicapped and possesses sufficient potential to become a
13
competent motor vehicle operator. The community college of Rhode Island shall establish a tuition
14
fee sufficient to cover the cost of the program.
15
(e) A tuition or enrollment fee shall be required to be paid by an eligible applicant
, except,
16
upon a request and payment of the tuition or enrollment fee from the department of children, youth
17
and families, for any eligible person receiving foster caregiving in foster and adoptive homes as
18
defined in § 42-72.1-2,
in accordance with rules and regulations of the board of governors for higher
19
education; provided, that personal checks shall be an acceptable method of payment of the tuition
20
or enrollment fee. The tuition or enrollment fee shall be deposited in a restricted receipt account
21
established to pay any and all costs associated with the driver education program at the community
22
college of Rhode Island and administered by the community college of Rhode Island.
23
(f) The board of governors for higher education is authorized to establish administrative
24
regulations to further implement this section.
25
(g) The community college of Rhode Island shall establish tuition fees sufficient to cover
26
the cost of the program and the administration of the driver education program. All positions
27
established to implement the driver education program and funded in full by driver education
28
program fees shall be exempt from the full-time equivalency cap established in Article 1 of the
29
Appropriations Act, provided, however, that the board of governors shall report by June 1, 2004,
30
the actual number of filled positions funded exclusively by driver education fees to the chairperson
31
of the house finance committee, the chairperson of the senate finance committee, and the state
32
budget officer.
33
(h) The board of governors for higher education shall provide for an optional and voluntary
34
course of instruction for the applicant’s parent, guardian, or designee where applicable, on the
LC006527/SUB A - Page 2 of 6
1
content of the driver education curriculum and the requirements for the graduated licensing for
2
persons under the age of eighteen (18) as contained in § 31-10-6. The community college of Rhode
3
Island shall be responsible to develop the course of instruction and content for the parent
4
instruction, or may approve a similar course of instruction, such as AAA’s course, as equivalent to
5
it, and shall promulgate regulations and establish the appropriate method of providing the
6
instruction.
7
(i) Dangers of distracted driving, including, but not limited to, use of cell phones would be
8
included in this section curriculum and included in all testing as part of the state’s driver’s license
9
examination.
10
(j) Included in the classroom instruction shall be curriculum related to the dangers of
11
marijuana-impaired driving such as the course provided by AAA or similar equivalent.
12
(k) The curriculum required by subsection (j) of this section shall become effective upon
13
the effective date of this subsection [June 19, 2023] and shall only be implemented upon the
14
approval of the course by the state board of education.
15
31-10-19. Driver education — Traffic safety education. [Effective when contingency
16
in P.L. 2017, ch. 156 and 160 is met.]
17
(a) The community college of Rhode Island shall provide thirty-three (33) hours of
18
classroom instruction for applicants or prospective applicants, not more than twenty-one (21) years
19
of age, for a limited-instruction permit or license. The instruction shall include eight (8) hours,
20
specifically for instruction on the effects of alcohol and drugs on a driver, and the instruction shall
21
be given by a person eligible for a teacher’s certificate issued under the authority of the state board
22
of education and which course of instruction shall be approved by the state board of education. In
23
case of emergency, the president of the community college of Rhode Island may declare, when no
24
certified instructor is available to teach, that an individual eligible to teach at the community college
25
of Rhode Island, who has taken the required course of instruction in driver education, may provide
26
driver education instruction. All driver education programs shall include information concerning
27
the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, chapter 18.6.1 of title 23, and information on donor
28
cards pursuant to the applicable provisions of chapter 18.6.1 of title 23. The state board of education
29
shall ensure that each person properly certified and approved to instruct driver education courses
30
shall be given an equal opportunity for employment as an instructor within the driver education
31
program. No person teaching driver education under this section shall own, be employed by, or be
32
associated with a commercial driving school.
33
(b) Driver education instruction shall be available to any eligible resident applicant not less
34
than fifteen (15) years and ten (10) months of age.
LC006527/SUB A - Page 3 of 6
1
(c) That the state shall also provide a separate program of instruction, as previously set
2
forth in this section, for special needs students whose individual education plan (IEP) indicates a
3
need for a separate program of instruction.
4
(d) The community college of Rhode Island shall provide a driver training program for
5
physically handicapped drivers. The program shall instruct the physically handicapped driver in
6
the operation of adapted vehicles for the handicapped. The adapted vehicles are to be provided by
7
the handicapped individual. A physically handicapped person must be certified by a licensed
8
physician that he or she is physically handicapped and possesses sufficient potential to become a
9
competent motor vehicle operator. The community college of Rhode Island shall establish a tuition
10
fee sufficient to cover the cost of the program.
11
(e) A tuition or enrollment fee shall be required to be paid by an eligible applicant
, except,
12
upon a request and payment of the tuition or enrollment fee from the department of children, youth
13
and families, for any eligible person receiving foster caregiving in foster and adoptive homes as
14
defined in § 42-72.1-2,
in accordance with rules and regulations of the state board of education;
15
provided, that personal checks shall be an acceptable method of payment of the tuition or
16
enrollment fee. The tuition or enrollment fee shall be deposited in a restricted receipt account
17
established to pay any and all costs associated with the driver education program at the community
18
college of Rhode Island and administered by the community college of Rhode Island.
19
(f) The state board of education is authorized to establish administrative regulations to
20
further implement this section.
21
(g) The community college of Rhode Island shall establish tuition fees sufficient to cover
22
the cost of the program and the administration of the driver education program. All positions
23
established to implement the driver education program and funded in full by driver education
24
program fees shall be exempt from the full-time equivalency cap established in Article 1 of the
25
Appropriations Act, provided, however, that the board of governors shall report by June 1, 2004,
26
the actual number of filled positions funded exclusively by driver education fees to the chairperson
27
of the house finance committee, the chairperson of the senate finance committee, and the state
28
budget officer.
29
(h) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the state board of education shall
30
provide for a required course of instruction for the applicant’s parent, guardian, or designee where
31
applicable, on the content of the driver education curriculum and the requirements for the graduated
32
licensing for persons under the age of eighteen (18) as contained in § 31-10-6. The course of
33
instruction shall be made available in a classroom setting at numerous locations, days, and times
34
throughout the state, approved by the community college of Rhode Island. All costs and expenses
LC006527/SUB A - Page 4 of 6
1
associated with the course of instruction, including, but not limited to, materials, instructors, and
2
location fees shall be at the sole expense of the program providers. Once approved by the state
3
board of education, an online course of instruction shall be made available to parent(s), guardian(s),
4
or designee(s), where applicable, to meet the requirements of this section. Under no circumstances
5
shall any parent, guardian, or designee, where applicable, be required to pay any cost or fee in
6
association with participation in the course required by this section. Upon completion of the course
7
pursuant to this section, no parent, guardian, or designee shall be required to take the course more
8
than one time in a five-year (5) period. Parents, guardians, and designees with multiple children
9
having completed this course shall be deemed to have satisfied this requirement for each child in
10
their care applying for his or her license during the five-year (5) period. Should AAA or any other
11
provider cease to provide the course and no other provider exists, the community college of Rhode
12
Island shall not be required to provide the course of instruction nor shall it be required to pay any
13
of the costs associated therewith. Parents, guardians, and designees shall not be required to
14
complete the course prior to their child obtaining a license during any time at which a qualified
15
program under this section does not exist. The community college of Rhode Island shall be
16
responsible to develop the course of instruction and content for the parent instruction, or may
17
approve a similar course of instruction, such as AAA’s course, as equivalent to it, and shall
18
promulgate regulations and establish the appropriate method of providing the instruction. Should a
19
qualified program cease to exist for a period of time greater than six (6) months, the course of
20
instruction will not be required.
21
(i) Dangers of distracted driving, including, but not limited to, use of cell phones would be
22
included in this section curriculum and included in all testing as part of the state’s driver’s license
23
examination.
24
(j) Included in the classroom instruction shall be curriculum related to the dangers of
25
marijuana-impaired driving such as the course provided by AAA or similar equivalent.
26
(k) The curriculum required by subsection (j) of this section shall become effective upon
27
the effective date of this subsection [June 19, 2023] and shall only be implemented upon the
28
approval of the course by the state board of education.
29
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC006527/SUB A
========
LC006527/SUB A - Page 5 of 6
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- OPERATORS' AND CHAUFFEURS'
LICENSES
***
1
This act would exempt an individual in foster or adoptive homes from the fee associated
2
with drivers education classes at the community college of Rhode Island.
3
This act would take effect upon passage.
========
LC006527/SUB A
========
LC006527/SUB A - Page 6 of 6