SB23-011 Summary

• Creates a refundable income tax credit up to $1,000 per student for driver education and training expenses, available for 10 income tax years starting January 1, 2023.

• Requires all minors under 18 seeking a driver's license to complete a 30-hour driver education course (which may be online) and receive either 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a professional instructor or 12 hours with a parent/guardian in rural areas.

• Requires minors ages 18-20 to complete a 4-hour prequalification driver awareness program to obtain a driver's license, in addition to the 30-hour course for those under 18.

• Eliminates the previous tiered system based on age that had different education requirements for minors under 16.5 years old and requires all minors under 18 to complete the same 30-hour driver education course to obtain an instruction permit.

• Prohibits driving instructors convicted of violent or sexual crimes within the past 20 years from instructing minors and requires commercial driving schools to conduct fingerprint-based criminal background checks on all instructors who teach minors.