SENATE BILL No. 1078

September 8, 2016, Introduced by Senators O'BRIEN and KNEZEK and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

     A bill to amend 2006 PA 384, entitled

"Driver education provider and instructor act,"

by amending section 37 (MCL 256.657), as amended by 2014 PA 317.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

     Sec. 37. (1) A segment 1 curriculum shall include both

classroom and behind-the-wheel driver education course experience.

The classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel instruction shall be

integrated, relate to each other, and meet the following

requirements:

     (a) Each student shall receive not less than 24 hours of

classroom instruction. Classroom instruction shall be scheduled to

occur as follows:

     (i) Classroom instruction shall occur not more than 2 hours

per day.

     (ii) Classroom instruction shall occur over the course of 3 or

more weeks.

     (iii) Classroom instruction of 4 or more hours shall be

received before the student begins to receive behind-the-wheel

instruction.

     (iv) Classroom instruction shall include 3 or more hours of

information concerning the laws pertaining to bicycles and

motorcycles and shall emphasize awareness of their operation on the

streets, roads, and highways of this state.

     (v) Behind-the-wheel instruction of 3 or more hours shall be

completed before classroom instruction terminates.

     (b) Each student shall receive not less than 6 hours of

behind-the-wheel instruction or substitute hours permitted under

this subsection. Behind-the-wheel instruction shall be scheduled to

occur as follows:

     (i) A student shall receive not more than 1 hour of behind-

the-wheel instruction per day.

     (ii) Not more than 1 student shall occupy the front seat of

the vehicle with the instructor.

     (iii) A driver education motor vehicle shall contain not more

than 4 students during behind-the-wheel instruction.

     (iv) Not later than 3 weeks after the last classroom

instruction has been completed, a student shall complete any

remaining required behind-the-wheel instruction.

     (v) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a student

may receive instruction while operating a motor vehicle at a

multiple vehicle driving facility. One hour of instruction received

at a multiple vehicle driving facility may substitute as credit for

1 hour of behind-the-wheel experience. A maximum of 2 hours of

behind-the-wheel experience can be substituted with instruction

received at a multiple vehicle driving facility.

     (c) A student shall receive 4 or more hours of behind-the-

wheel observation time.

     (2) A driver education provider classified for teen driver

training shall not substitute behind-the-wheel instruction with

multiple vehicle driving facility experience until the secretary of

state gives the provider written approval for that substitution as

provided in this act.

     (3) A driver education provider classified for teen driver

training shall not substitute behind-the-wheel driving experience

with simulator device training.

     (4) As used in this section:

     (a) "Integrated" means classroom and behind-the-wheel

instruction scheduled to include a mix of classroom and behind-the-

wheel instruction throughout the duration of the driver education

course, except as otherwise provided in this section.

     (b) "Observation time" means the time a student in a driver

education course sits in the rear seat of a vehicle and observes

another student in the front seat behind the wheel operating the

controls of the vehicle, responding to driving situations, and with

an instructor sitting in the front seat.

     (5) This section shall be known and may be cited as the

"Nathan Bower act".

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

after the date it is enacted into law.