SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1963

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 6, 2021

      The Senate Transportation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1963.

      As amended and reported, this bill adds new examination permit and special learner’s permit requirements.  Under the bill, holders of examination permits and special learner’s permits under the age of 21 are required to complete at least 50 hours of practice driving, at least 10 hours of which are to be completed during hours of darkness. The parent, guardian, or the supervising driver of a permit holder is to certify that these hours of practice driving were completed. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) is to suspend the driving privileges of any permit holder who submits a fraudulent certification.

     The bill provides that the six-hour, behind-the-wheel automobile driving education course required pursuant to the State’s graduated driver licensing law is to be completed through one-on-one instruction.  However, the bill provides that a public, parochial, or private school or a licensed driver’s school may permit additional students in the course or the parents of the students to be present in the rear seat of the vehicle, provided that the time a student spends in the rear seat of the vehicle is not to be considered behind-the-wheel automobile instruction for the purposes of the course.

     The bill requires the MVC, in consultation with the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the State Department of Education, and licensed drivers’ schools in this State, to adopt standard, up-to-date guidelines to be implemented by public, private, and parochial schools and licensed drivers’ schools offering courses of behind-the-wheel automobile driving education.

     The bill increases from six months to 12 months the amount of time that a permit holder is required to hold a permit before becoming eligible for a probationary license.

     The bill also requires a sample practice driving log, in addition to other required information, to be included in informational brochures distributed to parents and guardians of beginning drivers under the age of 18.

The committee amended the bill to make technical and grammatical corrections.